If you are a senior, keep reading. The decision to pick a college is, of course, stressful, making you feel alone in a “permanent, life-altering” decision. You may feel like everyone around you has it figured out, your family might add pressure to your decision, you might feel anxious that you are making the wrong decision, and maybe you even find yourself isolating yourself from everything because even if you have support, you still feel as if no one knows you better than yourself. The reason these feelings are completely normal is that this is the first major adult decision you have ever had to make as an 18-year-old. No decision has been as big a deal as deciding which university fits you the best. For the first time, you’re expected to make a choice that affects your future, your finances, your goals, and even the type of person you might become. This ends up feeling like the decision that shifts you from childhood to adulthood, and that transition can feel extremely scary. With all this said, I want to give you some advice to feel reassured about what your future holds for you and how you can relieve some stress.
1. Take the process little by little.
Make a list of schools that are your top five. Set up visits to actually see those schools in person rather than relying on media, which portrays the schools. Talk to a coach or advisor at your high school; it is reassuring to talk to someone who knows you and whom you respect and just talk through your decision with them. This leads into my second piece of advice…
2. Talk to someone you trust and respect.
Sometimes getting out that you are stressed and saying it out loud can lift stress off your shoulders alone. But talking to someone you trust and respect will benefit you greatly by allowing you to say the things that are important to you and not stress you out. This allows you to unintentionally talk about what you want, and that is a big part of choosing your future.
3. Focus on what YOU want.
A lot of the time, people try to pitch in on what they want, or they add pressure to you without even saying anything, because of the feeling of being judged. Make a list of what is important just to you. From that, you will start to understand what exactly you want. Your education is not your family’s or your friends; it is yours.
