September 13, 2018. 8:40 PM.
So I am sitting here, writing an advice post for seniors and, even though there it still a whole year left, for anyone going into their senior year. I intended to post this the night before the first day of senior year, but alas, I am brown after all, so by nature, I am late to everything. Parties, events, school, work, blog posts. For real though, I am barely late to anything, so this little “mishap” can be excused.
Whether it be posted on the day before the most important year of my life (no pressure), or a week later (6 days to be exact), my intention was to post it, nonetheless. I know, I know, it’s your usual “tips and to do tricks” post, but hey, I needed some relative content to post and this was the first thing that popped into my mind. Notwithstanding the fact that I have some more original content planned, so stay tuned for that.
Senior Year. The dreaded year, in which you either make or break yourself. It’s either do or die. Construct or destruct. I mean, you get the drift. But, without further adieu, let’s get right into it.
1.Stop over stressing.
I know everyone and their moms tell you this, but seriously, listen to them and take them seriously! Grade 12 is already stressful enough, with the amount of homework, projects, studying, and what not to be done. Not forgetting the bigger monster ahead: University applications. Trust me, you’ll think you have all the time in the world, but suddenly it’s December 31st, and you’re rushing to finalize your portfolio, add the last couple of touches to your essay, etc, etc, because the program you’re applying to is quite competitive and you just want the burden of applying off your shoulders (my heart rate just skyrocketed typing this because I’m hoping this won’t be me in the next few days). What a wonderful way to start off the new year… But no, seriously. You already have enough to worry about, so just take a deep breath, listen to some music, go out for a run, do some yoga, have a relaxing bath, do whatever it is you need to do in order to clear your mind’s clutter and start fresh. This way, you’ll be calm and collected and confident.
2. Plan, Plan, Plan!
I cannot stress this enough. If you think you can just breeze by or “go with the flow” in the most important year of your life, you’re outta luck bud. Again, grade 12 is stressful enough, but not having some sort of plan will make your life 10x harder than it needs to be. Come up with some sort of small plan to begin with, such as when to do your homework, planning for projects, and so forth. Then move onto the bigger things, like what programs you’re interested in, majors and minors, etc, and you can move on from there.
3. STAY ORGANIZED!!!
Organization is key in grade 12 and it will help you immensely in university/college and further down the lien as well. Don’t think that you can remember all the due dates, test dates, application dates, just by having them stored in your brain. You won’t! There’s only so much our brain can retain, so that will not be helpful. Instead, have some sort of agenda/daily planner in which you write down all school related stuff, as well as your to-do list and tasks. Then, according to that, complete each one. Do the ones that are either due first (obviously) or the hardest, as you would just be wasting your time doing the easy ones first and struggling/leaving the hardest jobs for last minute. Additionally, writing down what you have to do in a neat, orderly fashion can help to relieve tons of stress!
4. START applying for scholarships early and have your research done before!
Okay, so this is sort of given. You may have seen this tip anywhere on social media, a blog, whatever. TAKE IT SERIOUSLY! You do NOT want to be rushing last minute, applying to universities, then realizing you didn’t have the prerequisite or you don’t qualify for that program! Do your research about the programs you’re interested, the universities you want to go to, the cost, etc, in summer. Better than that actually, do it in the middle of grade 11, when you’re selecting your courses for next year. That way, you can make smart decisions about what courses you need to take in grade 12 in order to qualify to apply. With regards to scholarships, you can start applying for them in the summer, because trust me, they fill up fast. With the stress and load of work in grade 12, you will not have time to be writing essays and fill out information sheets for scholarships. Get started early, so you won’t regret and rush later!
5. Focus on ALL your classes!
I know once you get your first report grade, and you see all those good marks you want to start slacking off. Or thinking you can just “wing it” in your easy/average-booster classes. Think again! Even if you took a similar class last year, or this is your “average-booster” class, or you’re good at it, does not mean you don’t put as much work into it! Trust me, nothing in grade 12 is as easy as you thought it would be. My friends and I went in strong, thinking “We got this,” because we handled grade 11 nicely (oof tough year), and we were hit smack in the face right into reality. Yeah, not going to happen. Grade 12 is tough, but with work, dedication, and effort, you will survive. Do not start slacking off just because you’re taking that class. It gets difficult to try and maintain marks, and every little assignment counts. Try to stay on top of your work as much as possible, and you won’t put yourself through that unnecessary stress.
6. Start saving money [aside] for post-secondary.
University and college are expensive. And if you’re planning to live on res, or move out of Toronto, well, it’s going to cost you quite a fortune. Res alone can cost you a few thousand dollars, plus your meal plans, tuition, books, transport, and all that is added cost. Start saving early (like in summer) and put that money in a savings account that you do NOT touch in any circumstances. Time will fly by suddenly, and you will realize that you should have started saving way earlier in the game. You do not want to be that person. It does get pricey pretty quickly, because each year, universities/colleges raise their tuition/res fees, so again, just start saving ahead of time. Also, applying costs not as much, but a significant amount. Here, for universities, it costs $150 for 3 programs in any university, with an additional $50 for any other programs or if you want to switch from your original choice. College is $95 I believe, with the option of up to 5 programs. There are lots of assistant programs, like OSAP, bursaries, scholarships, loans, etc, but it’s still good to get into the habit of saving.
7. Don’t involve yourself in any drama.
The first tip you give to a grade 9 would be this one. School is already difficult enough, with the work load, extracurricular, volunteering, etc, etc. Drama is just the gateway to trouble. You do not need to involve yourself in any drama, firstly, because it’s pointless, secondly, sometimes you can actually be the one in trouble/dragged into it, and so forth, and thirdly, it can give you a bad name and reputation (depending on what type it is). The biggest reason why seniors hate juniors is because they try to seek too much attention by involving themselves in everyone’s business, and sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong. Stop looking and running for attention, because it only makes YOU look desperate. There are so many other [useful] things you could be doing with your life. And getting involved in useless things such as “Omg, she called you a bitch”, “Did you hear what he said about you at the party on Friday?” is not one of them.
8. Try new and different things.
At some point in life, you will be asked to do things that are out of your comfort zone. That could be for a new project you have to handle at work, getting peer-pressured to drink/smoke with your friends, go skydiving, whatever it may be. You need to learn to gain that confidence early. What better time than now> Grade 12 shouldn’t just be the year of working hard, studying, and applying. As cheesy as it may sound, you need to learn to broaden your horizons. Try joining a new club, inviting that new girl over to your lunch table, try out new subjects, whatever it is, just do it! This way, not only are you boosting your own self-esteem and confidence, but you can say your last year was memorable! People will remember you (hopefully in a good way). You will be considered more out-going, and that can be used an as excuse to meet new people.
9. Make the best of everything.
I know it’s super difficult to have a positive attitude all the time, but hey, fake it till you make it! Again, it’s your last year, and you want it to be as enjoyable as possible. Got a bad grade? Cry for a bit, then suck it up and get back up. Learn from your mistakes, got to your teacher for help, and ace the next one. Don’t like a specific teacher? Take a deep breath and relax. Don’t let your personal feelings and biased opinion get in the way of your learning. You dislike the teacher, so what? You’re not going to get anything out of it, and they’re still going to get paid, regardless of whether you like them or not. Radiate positivity and wake up each day with a bright smile and a happy attitude!
10. Grade 12 should not be ALL about the work!
Last, but not least, I know it’s similar to tip #8 and #9, but if you take anything out of this post, take this tip! Do not overwhelm/scare yourself by thinking it’s just work, work, work! It isn’t! Grade 12 is whatever you make out of it. I am not, in any means, saying you neglect your work and just have fun. Or neglect fun, and just work your butt of. You need to find a [healthy] balance between the two. Give yourself a break here and there. Learn when to study, and when to relax (wish I had learned that earlier). Learn to live!
Well, those are all my tips for those upcoming seniors. I really wish someone had clued me in to any of these before I entered grade 12. It honestly would have saved me a lot of stress and hassle. But alas, even though I am a few months late, I hope you guys enjoyed it and will take something out of it! Until next time my friends.
XO,
Sam ♡
Find Your Perception 
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