As the days go by, junior and senior Wildcats grow nearer to big tests, deadlines, college considerations, and various other responsibilities that will influence their future. This is the time to take charge of your own well-being as a high schooler and future college student. Juniors and also senior students realize that the precious, carefree school years of the past are no longer. As sad as it is to see our high school careers draw to a close, another door has opened where this one is shut. 

 Upperclassmen have no choice but to begin grounding their feet into the world of adulthood and professionalism. Take the SAT, for instance. Every Junior should know that this test will play a big role in their college future, as nerve-racking as it may sound. In stressful times such as these, it is vitally important to begin preparation, if one hasn’t already. Preparation is not simply for your math and reading skills, but also for responsibility, maturity, individuality, and reason. 

 Many students are not scared, but rather enlivened by their first glimpses into the large world outside of high school. Kids such as Christian Labellman, a fellow junior Wildcat, are thrilled to begin their next journey into impactful decisions of their future, like career choices and college majors. “I have been doing SAT tutoring for three months, and I also do Khan Academy daily. Reading is something I have given more time to as I work to improve my discipline” he says. With prep like that, Labellman is sure to succeed on his SATs and is prepared for his future. 

 High school has been a special part of our lives. Friends have been made, realizations have occurred, and knowledge has been gained. It is now time to take the tools that your high school experience has equipped you with and begin taking steps forward into the rest of your life, into adulthood. Change is one of the scariest things to face at times, but this is a good change. Remember not to be scared to lose the past, but excited to gain the future.