As FHS seniors submit their last college applications, the second semester has arrived, and with that comes many mixed emotions.

Senior year is known to be a year full of excitement, as students are entering their last year of grade school. This bittersweet experience is usually split up into two significantly different parts, the first and second semester. The first semester is known to be a busy and hectic period, with college applications and classes going on. The second semester, however, is perceived as more laid-back, where students have less work and are less motivated to come to school. 

Even though second semester seniors are done with college applications and are now more relaxed, the idea that grades from the second semester do not ‘count’ is partially inaccurate; students still need to put effort and maintain good grades. Maintaining good grades in the second semester of senior year is important in order to not get an acceptance revoked.

“You gotta stay strong. You gotta keep working hard, because this is what you’re going to see at the college level,” FHS senior Subhan Kunwar said. “You can’t be lazy to be lazy in the future. You got to stay strong until the future.”

 Another key reason to keep working hard during this semester is that colleges look at all eight semesters of grades when evaluating transfer applicants; if one plans to transfer, either out of community college or from another university, they should try to keep up their grades even during this period. However, staying motivated in the second semester proves to be a challenge that many FHS seniors can agree on. 

“Senioritis has been hitting pretty hard,” Kunwar said. “I feel less motivated to do work.”

A major contributor to this lack of motivation is the fact that students’ future plans are becoming clearer and that senior events during the semester provide both excitement and distraction for seniors. During the semester, events like prom and graduation seem just around the corner, and so seniors feel compelled to make the most out of their final moments as high schoolers. Not only this, but many seniors are burnt out, especially after coming out of junior year and college applications.

Although the second semester of senior year is seen as one of the least stressful times of high school, many agree that waiting for application results to come in can be very nerve-racking. 

“I feel like first semester had a lot of stress because of college applications, and because of that, I just feel more relaxed in the second semester, but it’s also really stressful waiting for our results,” FHS senior Asha Bansal said.

Whether seniors are stressed, tired or happy at the moment, one thing is sure: their high school experience is coming to an end, and they will soon be starting a new chapter in their lives.

“I’m really excited for the future,” Bansal said. “I’m excited to move beyond high school.”