With the last few months approaching anticipatedly, seniors are working hard to cross the finish line. Now that they are more than halfway there, the yearly recurring question appears: will seniors’ motivation remain the same or will it start to slip? As of now, approximately 27 seniors have committed early to college. Below are some of their plans for the next years to come, thoughts on being settled to a college early, and further recommendations for staying motivated through the end of the year.
Jacob Klugerman plans to major in Computational and Applied Mathematics at University of Chicago. He expressed his interest in mathematics and how he hopes to use it to “make a positive impact on the world.” Furthermore, Klugerman believes that UChicago is a place where “[he] belongs,” and that he is generally a “strong fit with the school.” When asked how it feels to be committed to a college early on, Klugerman replied, “it feels like a really big weight has been lifted off my shoulders” and that “I can now focus on doing more of what I love, rather than just focusing on school responsibilities.” He ends by offering advice to seniors moving into the second semester, suggesting to “focus more on what you’re interested in” and to dedicate more time to things you are passionate about.
Mila Angoff plans to attend the University of Oregon for Sustainable Business next fall. She states, “I have always known I wanted to go somewhere far, and I loved the vibe of the campus and the programs they offered and it just seemed like such an amazing fit.” Similarly to Klugerman, Angoff says “it feels like a big weight is lifted off my shoulders [to be committed early] and I don’t really have to worry about college anymore.” With honesty, she admits that the senioritis has “come and gone in waves” and says, “I certainly have had the mindset of ‘I’m already going to college so I don’t need to stress about this,’ but what I think has really helped was picking classes I knew I was truly interested in.” Angoff says this has made “staying consistent really easy,” saying “I don’t feel like I’m taking classes out of the obligation that they will get me into college.” Mila offers a helpful tip to “take advantage of your study halls” because having “extra breaks [has] allowed [her] to stay focused in [her] classes and has actually helped a lot with motivation to do work, since [she has] extra free time to do [her] homework.” Furthermore, she suggests to “create an environment that motivates you.” Having a space that encourages you to knock out your work can be beneficial for many people. Whether it’s finding a quiet, low-dimmed library, an intimate cafe with a study group, or a productive work space at home, having a place that fits your work and study habits can lead to overall success and satisfaction.
Majoring in Sports Communication and Minoring in Film Studies, Johnny Sbrega is attending Emerson College after he graduates from HHS. After being one of the first seniors to commit early in mid-August, he remarks how “it honestly felt really good” to do so and that “it took a lot of stress off of [him], and has made senior year much more enjoyable.” He confesses that he definitely has senioritis, but is honest by saying “I try to stay consistent by focusing on the sports I play during the year and reminding myself that college is coming up soon.” After finding a roommate for college, Sbrega notes that “it has made my senioritis a lot worse knowing that I’m basically ready to leave for school today, but I will try in my classes and keep my grades up the best I can.” He also chose to continue playing baseball from high school to college level, saying “I love sports, especially baseball being my favorite, and I feel like I would really miss not playing.” He notes “While I don’t want it to be my entire life, I do want to play a couple years on a team with my close friends and just have fun and enjoy it.” He concludes by offering helpful advice to seniors to “just try to push through and remember you’re almost done.” Sbrega recommends “setting small goals, staying organized, and to keep thinking about what you’re working towards.” As an example, he says “I set a goal to get a new computer at graduation but that’s only if my grades stay up and I do my best. I think goals and reminders like this can help a lot.”
Eliza Mulvihill plans to attend Colgate University in the upcoming year, majoring in Political Science. She acknowledged how after touring for the first time, that it was “not like anything [she] had seen so far.” Additionally, she said that “the orientation programs they offered seemed so fun and really good for building community, and the social life, housing, and dining system checked all the boxes for what [she] was looking for.” When asked how it feels to be committed to a college early, she said “it feels really weird to be honest, it’s both super exciting and kind of depressing.” As a senior that is so close to becoming an adult, she said that it “really hit her that she’s growing up and leaving home.” Her word of advice to seniors who might be experiencing senioritis now that third quarter is here is to “just keep the same routine that you had before you committed.”
Graduating from high school with a plan to attend Penn State University, Kevin Jaeger is currently an ‘undecided’ major. He remarks how he “loves the culture and the school spirit as well as the academic opportunities offered.” Now that he is done with the application process, he says, “it feels relaxing now that I’ve committed early and I don’t have to stress about college applications anymore and can just enjoy the rest of senior year knowing that I am going to an amazing school.” In terms of senioritis, Jaeger believes that he “probably has a small case of it” as he “definitely feel[s] a sense of just wanting to graduate and move on with things.” For students losing motivation in the classroom, Kevin suggests “just try to maintain solid grades and not completely lose focus on your learning.” While he says to “make sure to enjoy these last few months with your friends,” he recommends leaving “time for your work [to] avoid falling behind.”
Addie Lew plans to attend Columbia University this upcoming fall, but is yet to decide whether to major in Creative Writing or English. She says that Columbia was her dream school and that her family is “very connected to it so she grew up interested.” After committing she said “it’s a lot less stressful and easier to have fun.” Lew confesses that she is not really affected by senioritis, but that she is “less stressed about [her] grades.” She shares, “I still do my homework and study for tests, but I am much happier now that I know where I’m going next year.” Her word of advice for seniors is to “keep up consistency so that you are prepared for the workload next year.”
This upcoming year, Aidan Maloney plans to major in Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University. He mentions that he has “always liked building things.” He also said that his interest in Cornell came from a combination of distance — not too close but not too far from home — as well as the nice campus and well known engineering program. Maloney believes that being committed early is similar to “feeling like when you finish a big assignment and you can finally close out all the tabs.” Furthermore, he shares how he feels like his “motivation is exactly the same,” and advises that “if you wait for motivation to finish something, you will never get it done.” He concludes by saying that you should “force yourself to do the work.”
Senior class president Emily Taylor plans to attend the University of Michigan this upcoming year. She plans to double major in Neuroscience and History. She says “the mix of big school sports culture, social life, location, and academics” was what appealed to her about the college. Now that Taylor is committed to UMich, she says it feels “amazing,” how “it’s such a weight off [her] shoulders,” and that she is “just so glad to be done with the college process.” She shares how it’s “definitely a lot harder to motivate [herself] to do work now that [she] is committed,” but advises other seniors to “remember that even though your grades don’t matter as much, they still matter and maintaining academic performance is still super important!”
Many seniors have expressed how it can be difficult to remain consistent during your final year of high school. Still, the students interviewed agreed that finishing strong matters. Whether it’s showing up to class consistently, keeping grades up, or not completely checking out, staying motivated senior year is about more than college acceptances. It’s about ending the year strong and proving to yourself that you are able to stay focused— even in circumstances where it would be easier not to.
