It’s the calm before the storm. College essays, difficult classes, and life-changing decisions loom ominously in the near future, and sometimes it can be overwhelming to think of the fateful fall season ahead. While students should relax over the summer, there are certain steps that can be taken during those luxuriously long, hot months to dramatically decrease senior year stress.

College applications take several weeks, even months, of intensive writing, editing, and gathering information. This process can be especially unpleasant as homework, sports, extracurriculars, and other obligations consume the majority of students’ time when the school year starts. Many college websites and current Wilcox seniors recommend starting essays early to avoid this last-minute panic. According to College Admission, many college counselors advise students to familiarize themselves with the essay prompts and start brainstorming topics before the school year begins. Senior Samia Abbasi advised, “Look over college essay prompts and just ponder on them. You don’t necessarily need to finish your essays over the summer, but think on it and make sure you have solid potential ideas.” Ms. Yee, the counselor from the Wilcox College and Career Center, also said, “I encourage everybody to look at them, think about them, and just start writing…getting ahead of it will ease the pressure you feel in the fall.”

Jobs and internships are also incredible opportunities to gain experience and add to any college application. Colleges love to see a drive in their applicants  to roll up their sleeves and work hard. “People don’t realize that a summer job does really hold a good presence on your application…Even working at a fastfood place, learning about how to work with the public and learning how to be gracious when people are not so nice to you… hey look very highly on that in applications,” said Ms. Yee.

Researching colleges and visiting campuses is also a great idea. It is often too busy and stressful to shop around for your new home when school starts, so visit potential colleges in the summer and read up on the programs they have to offer. “Make sure that you have a good idea of where you want to go and what you want to major in. Also make sure to visit many colleges over the summer so that you get a good insight of what college is really like. Don’t listen to the stereotypes of a particular institution. You may hear this a lot, but college is what you make of it!” suggested Kamala Ganapathi, a senior here at Wilcox.

Scholarships and financial aid are also an important aspects to the college application process that require hours of time, so start planning early. Gathering documents, discussing options with your parents, and starting scholarship applications are great ways to get ahead of the game. “Research scholarships because deadlines come up quickly throughout the year and you’ll forget,” Samia warned. “The more you plan and do ahead of time, the more it makes your school year easier,” Ms. Yee added.

The most important part of the summer before senior year is to recharge, relax, and have fun. It’s no secret that junior year can take a toll on your mental health, so be sure to rejuvenate before starting school again. Catching up on sleep, reading some good books, and spending personal time to do something you love can be a great way to hit the reset button. “Sleep is so important. You should really put your mental health first, because you can get burned out really easily,” advised senior Annabel Gong.

This could also be the last chance to embark on spontaneous, carefree adventures with your friend group before your lives follow different paths, so make the most of your time together. Wilcox Senior Amelia Wheaton tells juniors to “Do everything with energy. Pay attention to the people you do fun stuff with and drink in those moments where it’s your friends or your family goofing off and having fun.” These are the moments that you will remember long after you leave high school, so enjoy the little things and don’t stress too much about the big things.