You know that preparation you do in your mind before jumping into a cold pool? You mentally prepare yourself for the ice cold water. Then, when you finally jump, you’re surprised. Now whether that be from the freezing cold water, or the fact it wasn’t as cold as you once thought; you are surprised. I haven’t jumped into that cold water yet. I’m in the preparation stage. That is how my senior year is

starting: preparation before the jump.

So as I prepare for this jump, I’ve given myself a head start on college

applications. I’ve practiced for the ACT test and have reviewed old notes for my newest classes. I’ve written countless essays due to my mother’s pushiness. I’ve done more college research than some scientists in order to make my senior year go swimmingly.

This summer I realized I found the school of my dreams: St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Being the

prestigious private music school it is,

tuition is expensive. Fortunately, my

family has done as much as they can to save for college. However, this was not at all what we were planning. I have done my fair share of helping by getting a job, getting good grades and taking difficult classes. These little things have already given me a boost on my St. Olaf preparation. If you know me, I eat, sleep and breathe music. Therefore, this is my biggest goal going into senior year.

Sink or swim, that’s where the line is drawn for seniors. We have to apply for colleges, don’t even get me started on the hundreds of colleges I have never heard of until they came sliding into my email. If that stress isn’t enough, we then have to apply for scholarships. How many

scholarships do we need to apply for to even receive one? The struggle is real. As tedious as scholarships applications are, they are absolutely worth it. Even

applying to two scholarships a day would help get the cost down. Hopefully.

I thought that jump into the cold water was for senior year. I thought that ice cold water was just the college application

process. I’m about to jump into a bigger pond to figure out where my future leads.