THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 8, 1994 TAG: 9412070150
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALAINA ASTON, HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
When you are a senior, everyone says how wonderful being a senior is. Older g1aagrad Aston people say to savor your senior year because it is your last year in high school. They say that you will have a great time being a senior. However, there is one thing that most people neglect to mention: senioritis.
``Senioritis'' is the stress seniors feel as a result of all the pressures they experience. It may not be a legitimate medical condition covered under your parent's medical insurance, but it can certainly feel like one.
A great deal of stress stems from preparing for college. There is the intense pressure to perform on Scholastic Assessment Test. A good score is crucial to being accepted to college.
Then there are college applications. Most seniors spend hours making sure that their applications are neat and that the information on the application is impressive. Seniors who apply to numerous schools have that pressure multiplied.
Perhaps the worst part of preparing for college for seniors is waiting to see which schools accept them. If they are not accepted into their college of choice, then they must decide what school to attend or what actions to take next.
Laura Burkhart, a senior at Nansemond River High School, recently applied to the College of William and Mary.
``Filling out the applications wasn't that bad,'' she said. ``It's the constant waiting for a reply that is the hard part.''
Graduates who do not plan to attend college worry about finding work. That means writing resumes as well as numerous interviews. Searching for a job can be mentally and physically exhausting for anyone. When you add the pressures of school, it is worse.
Seniors say that the responsibilities get heavier as they get older. Many have part-time jobs that demand much of their time. Because most seniors are able to drive, they have more household responsibilities as well.
Harder courses are part of the senior curriculum and a bigger load of homework comes with the territory. The stress of making good grades is amplified because more emphasis is put on these grades.
The old saying, ``So much to do, so little time,'' has taken on new meaning. Between sports, extracurricular activities, jobs, school, homework and planning for the future, there does not seem to be enough time.
Senior year can also be a melancholy time. The thought of having to leave childhood friends behind can be hard to deal with. Also the knowledge that senior year is the last year of youth is disheartening.
While the stress of senior year may seem to serve no real purpose, it can actually be a good teacher. The greater responsibilities placed upon seniors give an insight to how adult life may be, and ease the transition into the ``real world.'' MEMO: Alaina Aston is a stressed-out senior at Nansemond River High School.
ILLUSTRATION: Aston
by CNB