The Future....I Don't Even Know Where to Start

As I am sure that all juniors in high school and sophomores and seniors for that matter, are hit with that scary C word. College. Where do you want to go to college? What do you want to study? Do you want to go to a big school or a a small school? In state or out of state?

Last year is when I started to really get the mail and e-mails from colleges across the country. Some schools it was kind of exciting to receive something from them, such as Columbia University. Others I have no idea were the heck they even are located. This is a topic that probably scares and excites us all. At times there is nothing I want more than to get out of town and start a new chapter in my life. But then I don't know how I would ever bea able to tear myself away from my friends, family and the life I have built previously.

Having to deal with the pressure of the ACT, SAT, scholarships, applications, college visits and recommendations takes the excitement out of the entire process. It doesn't help having a dad as one of the school counselors! Nah he isn't that bad, it is actually quite helpful having access to his knowledge. He knows what to look for and has good ideas on how to approach the whole process.

Up until recently, I have always blown this whole part of my life off. My parents would always say, "Read these brochures" or "Look at this website" and I would, but I never really put much thought into it. Recently it kind of hit me that I need to seriously start thinking about this, as do all of us juniors. I do know that I want to stay in the Midwest region of the United States and that I don't want to stay in Cedar Rapids. Other than that I don't know if I want to attend a private or public school, if I want to swim or not, or even what I want to study.

I'm not too worried yet because I still have time to take college visits and do some more research. But I feel like there is a lot of pressure put on upperclassmen to succeed not only in our academics and athletics in high school, but to be figuring out what our plans are for the future. I don't even know where to start!