This time of year is stressful for seniors. Many have made up their minds about what college they want to go to, but many still haven’t even decided. For those who have decided, there are still a multitude of other questions to answer.

For students who haven’t decided where you want to go, no worries, but you should probably decide soon. Housing and programs are going to fill up soon.

My advice to those still struggling to decide is to talk to your friends about their reasons for choosing a particular school; they may have some you haven’t considered. Or, honestly, if you really have to, just decide based on superficial things like, “Which campus looks better?” or even “Which campus has more vending machines?”

Sorry to tell you, but after you decide which college to go to, you have a million other questions. Like where you should live and what you should bring. In order to help alleviate some of your stress I’ve talked to Anna Larsen, a senior here at Davis High, about how her decision making process has been.

Anna will be attending Utah State University this fall, where many of her relatives have gone. She will be studying  Digital Design with minors in Marketing and Photography. She doesn’t know exactly where she’ll be living but she does have some living/home preferences.

“Close to campus, I want it to be nice, affordable and have plenty of amenities.”

She said.

Her dorm or apartment should be able to provide for her needs and be “easy to work with.” Anna is not planning on getting a meal plan because of the expense.

“I feel like it would be cheaper to do something else and buy a bunch of bulk food beforehand.”

Anna said.

Although Anna isn’t getting a meal plan, she agrees that they may work better for some people than for her, so don’t write off a meal plan if you were planning on one. College is about what works for you.

As for roommates, the most important aspect is personality to Anna. She doesn’t care about what they are studying, but similar interests are important. I agree since you are living with them, not necessarily being tutored by them. They should have a similar preferences to you in terms of cleanliness and organization.

If you’re scared about living alone for the first time, you are not alone. Nearly everyone is. Managing your time, finances, and health yourself is intimidating. On top of that, you are in a new place with new people, and that’s scary.

 “I’m anxious about the social experience and having to put myself out there and having to get to know people. Because it’s really a fresh start, no one knows you so you have to build up your reputation all over again which could be a good or bad thing.”

Anna says about her college fears. 

Ironically, the social experience is also something that Anna is excited about. She’s heard that your roommates or friends in college turn out to be lifelong friends sometimes, and she’s really excited to find close friends and have fun trying new things on the weekends.

Don’t get her wrong though, she’s definitely going to be missing some people. Namely, her family and dog. It’s hard to be away from your family for such a long time, especially for the first time.

Although she’s been preparing and taking advice from her mom about making an Amazon wish list early, Anna still has a lot she hasn’t decided on, so if you’re feeling confused, you aren’t alone.

“I still don’t know where I’m living so that’s kind of the biggest decision right now, is figuring that out.”

A laptop is also on her mind, and due to her major being very digitally based, she needs a good one. She’s also deciding on what else to bring to school. All of these decisions are really stressful, and anxiety-inducing. How does one manage it all? Anna just trusts that everything will turn out how it’s supposed to be.

“Just do your best, do everything that’s in your power, and then let everything else take care of itself.”

She also advises to get to know people who have gone to the college you are going to. She has relatives on her mom’s side that have gone to USU before, so learning from their experiences is really helpful for her.

To all the seniors, confused and anxious, just get as much information as you can, and make the decision you feel is right. Everything will turn out fine, and work out in the end. So don’t stress, and enjoy the rest of your last year of high school!