Spring Magazine 2024 (Extended)

The Antlerette Volume 98

Spring Magazine: Seniors

Issue 7

The Stress of Seniors LeAndre Murrey, Staffr Four long years of high school. We struggle with grades, athletics, extracurriculars, and so much more, all to get a piece of paper with our name on it saying we were smart enough to pass. Why do we do it? It depends on who you ask. Some do it to be better equipped for the real world, while others are looking to further their education so they can get the dream job for later on in life. Either way, we all experience the same number of years in high school, and are excited when we reach the end of that final year.

I talked to five different seniors, all who are about to graduate, and they had a multitude of reactions from this being the easy year, to having mostly AP classes. We will go through these interviews one by one and find out what some of the class of 2024 had to say about their senior year.

One senior I talked to by the name of Jalen mentioned this being the last year and not messing it up. “Make your senior year memorable,” Jalen says.

When talking about how he feels about graduating, he said, “I’m excited about graduating!” When asked what advice he would give to younger students, he said, “Don’t let people change who you are.”

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The next senior I talked to, Maya, had a different take on her senior year.

She talked about how the stress of senior year is getting to her. She mentioned that she has a mix of AP and elective classes. According to Maya, “Freshman year was easier than the other three.” When asked what advice she would give to underclassmen, she said, “Learn how to balance school and personal life.”

Other seniors see their departure from Elk Grove High School as a bittersweet goodbye. One such senior was named Autumn. She also remarked about how her senior year is the easiest of the three. She described it as a “weight lifted.” When asked what advice she would give to underclassmen, she said, “Go easy and graduate.”

So with the class of 2024 getting ready to receive their diplomas and head off into the world, there is a mix of emotions about their time in highschool and what they wished they did and didn't do.

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CSUs are Greater than UCs Khang Pham, Staff I don’t want to discourage anyone from pursuing a school that is your dream. I am not here to judge your choice or to tell you to go to a CSU, a California State University, or a UC, a University of California. I’m here to mainly explain why a CSU could be a better fit for future college students.

Also, I might have only gotten into one UC when I applied to four, so don’t make me out as salty! Anyway, the college I plan on attending is San Jose State University.

To begin, the most important issue when it comes to attending college in general is the price; planning to attend a 4-year college is not cheap and it’s quite an investment for you and your family. The average tuition for UCs is around $15,000 while CSUs fall around $12,000 and that’s only for students living in California. Out-of-state tuition for attending those schools ranges from $40,000-$50,000; so attending a college is very expensive. But that’s only for tuition. There are only nine UCs that offer bachelor's degrees and those nine UCs are in very specific locations; so not only do you have to pay for tuition, but paying for housing, rent, and food gets really costly. Unlike UCs, CSUs offer 23 campuses for students to choose from and most likely students are living near a CSU so they can live with their parents and not worry about housing or food.

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Next, education is a key factor in why UCs are such a hot commodity when it comes to students wanting to attend those schools. UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego offer some of the richest education that anyone can ask for. UC Berkeley and UCLA are considered Ivy Leagues of the West, along with Stanford. Programs like engineering, science, medical, and business are so well developed and taught at those campuses that they overpower the education offered by CSUs. But that doesn’t mean that CSUs don't have a fighting chance to offer excellent programs. Some CSUs that challenge even the best UCs are Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Diego State University, and CSU Long Beach. But at the end of the day, it’s your choice what school you decide to go to!

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Senior Events Camila Avila, Staff Senior year is always the most memorable experience since it is the last year of high school. Most students are excited and nervous about their future once they graduate. Almost every student looks forward to all the upcoming events happening just for seniors that are once in a lifetime.

At the beginning of the year most high school seniors participate in senior sunrise; during this event students gather up at the football field. watching and enjoying the sunrise together with their friends. This event may symbolize a new beginning and a start to their final year in high school.

Students might also look forward to homecoming: it’s the first dance of the year and their last homecoming dance. During homecoming everyone has fun since there’s a lot of dancing and socializing with your friends as well as making memories with other students and friends. Senior students always look forward to their senior Prom, a dance held at the end of the year since it’s their final event. Everyone usually goes all out with their attire. Similar to homecoming. there is a lot of socializing and making your final memories with your friends for that year. In the upcoming weeks until prom, promposals start to occur where you ask another to be your date.

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Some students may not like to participate in these events since they may not enjoy doing these activities. They may look forward to other events that they might value most. It’s always great to look forward to something and partake in a once in a lifetime experience which they will be able to think of as a memory later on.

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Why is College Important?

Kina Her, Staff College is an important step for many individuals after high school for a variety of reasons. Firstly, college provides the opportunity to further one's education and gain specialized knowledge in a particular field of study. This can lead to increased job opportunities and higher earning potential in the future.

Additionally, college allows students to develop valuable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication that are highly sought after by employers. These skills are not only beneficial in the workforce but also in everyday life situations.

Moreover, college provides a unique environment for personal growth and self-discovery. Students have the opportunity to meet people from diverse backgrounds, explore new interests, and engage in extracurricular activities that can help shape their identity and future goals.

Furthermore, college can be a transformative experience that fosters independence, resilience, and adaptability. Students learn how to manage their time effectively, navigate challenges, and take responsibility for their own success.

In conclusion, while college may not be the right path for everyone, it can be a valuable and rewarding experience for those who choose to pursue it.

The knowledge, skills, and personal growth gained in college can shape a 07 successful and fulfilling future.

Planning Your Senior Year Olivia Miller, Staff Remember being in elementary school thinking about how far away your senior year is? All that time has gone by, and it’s important to make the last year in your high school career count. This is the time to really be thinking about your future and creating memories with a lot of people who you most likely won’t see again. If you’re going to college, preparation and planning should come first. View it as a great ending but an exciting beginning.

Participate in senior related activities, do things you haven't done before, and put more effort into the classes you take, knowing it’s the last year.

When going to college, you have to be prepared for college applications by knowing where you want to apply. Do you want to move away or stay home? Is the school in your budget? Do the courses they provide interest you more compared to other schools? Then there’s making sure you meet the requirements of these schools: some want standardized test scores and/or require a certain GPA. Keep everything in your calendar to not lose track of deadlines. Start by writing several drafts of your essay. Using The Common App allows you to use one application for multiple colleges.

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Keeping your grades up still matters after junior year: you might be waitlisted for certain colleges, who can later see how your senior year went.

Remember to focus on what you could do to be better, knowing there are a lot of seniors applying and hoping for the same things. If you’re someone who lets procrastination get to you, you must create a better schedule to ensure you aren't stressed with doing everything last minute. If you aren't going to college, make a plan for what you'll be doing after. If you're going to the military or trade school, do the necessary steps to be enrolled.

All this planning for your future and what you will do after high school can take away from your experience of actually being in it. You'll miss doing things with your friend group and the activities high school provides, so make the best out of it.

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Growing Up Mikela Laurenzi, Staff So, you're sitting in your classroom and in 12th grade, finally you're a senior.

After all those hard years and sleepless nights of academics, you reflect on the past 18 years of your life. Everyone grows up and everyone moves on and these people you are being seated with, they will just become memories. It's scary to think how far in life you have come when you truly only just started it. No one prepares you for the sinking feeling in your gut when you take time to think about how you don't know what you want your life to be yet. Everyone expects you to know how you want things to play from an early age and hold unrealistic expectations for people who have just started.

You will always have memories to look back on if you live your life and make good ones. Leaving a place that you've always known, and people that you've seen everyday, is a bittersweet moment. You are expected to pick up your life in one summer and move to a completely different environment with completely different rules.

Growing up, especially having strict parents, some may get very excited for this moment. They could feel as if they are being set free and they finally get to experience new experiences and find things that fit them as a person without having to go home and struggle with the consequences. Whereas there could be completely different people with completely different views.

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Some people are terrified to go and start a new chapter and don't want to do it without the guidance of their family and friends they've known their whole life. There could also be people going to community college and stay close to home or even still live in their childhood bedroom. There are so many possibilities that people can take after high school. The terrifying truth is that you can never predict the future, so nothing is ever 100%. The plan and life of your dreams may not happen one day no matter how hard you try; life can just happen.

So you're sitting there, in the same chair you were before, still thinking about the same topic, but this time you aren't as scared. Because this time you know that in the end everything will be okay no matter what. Life will continue to go on. The world doesn't stop when I graduate high school.

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Working Hard in My Senior Year Ava Xu, Staff Being a high school senior is one of the most exciting parts of your high school career because it means your life in high school is coming to an end and you will begin a fresh start in your new life as an adult. But being a senior can be the most busiest time of the year you will ever experience in your high school life. As someone who is a senior in high school currently and will be graduating alongside with the rest of the Class of 2024, I have worked my hardest to get to where I am and achieved my goal of joining a university I’ve been dreaming of going to.

Since the very beginning of the new school year as a senior, I had a hard time focusing on what major I wanted and going to what college or university to study. For so long, since the start of my journey in high school, college has been in mind and has caused me stress because I thought I wouldn’t be able to have a successful job in the future. But my family has been supportive in finding me a job that I can be comfortable with and found a job that not only will help me in future, but it was related to something I’ve loved to do since middle school.

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Fast forward to submitting my college applications, I feel relieved and less stressed after completing all of my applications for colleges and universities because I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to complete the college applications. But my family would remind me about learning to drive because it would make a huge impact on my life after high school. My parents also won’t have the time to drive me to college because they have to take my siblings to school as well. After hearing this, I became serious about learning to drive and I had to call my cousins about tips on driving and how to succeed on all the required tests.

Throughout my experience as a senior, one important subject you should focus on more is your future because you will have to submit applications to colleges, and universities that you want to be accepted at, submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Form, apply for scholarships, learn to drive (if you haven’t been able to), and much more.

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Azriel Ezra Hu, Copy Editor Whether it’s going off to college or getting a job, graduating from high school is a momentous occasion. Students are often excited at the prospect of passing this final hurdle into adulthood and look forward to their newfound independence. But similarly they may also be scared of their new responsibilities they must take up as adults. While this new change can be overwhelming, it is also one that everyone has encountered.

If they choose to go to college, students have a lot to look forward to.

Making new friends, getting accustomed to dorm life, exploring new interests, maybe even getting wild at parties - a lot of students look forward to the quintessential college experience. Outside of much of the influence of adult figures in their life, college students blossom and find their niche during days that can later be looked back upon fondly. Even if they choose an alternative to going to college - such as getting a job - graduating gives students a sense of independence as they officially become an “adult.” New experiences such as voting, getting a full-time job, or even getting a tattoo allow students who don’t plan on going to college the same chance to experiment with themselves. This anticipation is what makes high school students excited to hurry up and graduate.

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However, what often accompanies this anticipation is the fear of the unknown. It doesn’t matter whether or not they’re going to college - all high school students transition to adulthood and have to take on all of the responsibilities that come with it. Now, they are in charge of supporting themselves financially, getting to where they need to go on time, and caring for their own health. They also have to tackle smaller but no less important issues such as where to do their laundry, shopping for groceries and cooking, and routinely cleaning their living space. Often these are all responsibilities that high school students take for granted because either someone else takes care of them, they don’t do them all the time, or it’s something handled together. But with independence comes responsibility, and it has to be something that new adults are prepared to tackle.

No matter what, graduation is seen as a rite of passage into adulthood. But ultimately, it’s simply another milestone in life - just like voting, buying a house for the first time, or retiring. Like every new change, look forward to the transition and be prepared for a new stage of life.

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