May 1. Social media floods with celebratory posts and the Beyond the Bulldog Instagram account gets its newest round of posts as National Decision Day marks the end of the college process for many, if not all, high school seniors.

Now that the tiring and stressful process has come to a close, seniors are left to reflect on their last year of high school and the college application process as a whole. Some students might be very content with their choices, while others might be filled with a little more regret or sadness. If given the chance, some students may even change how they handled the process or their mindset. While these feelings are very normal, it is important to note that college admissions are not a determining factor of how smart someone is, or their worth as a student. With that being said, here are the four best pieces of advice from the graduating senior class to the rising seniors taking over the school: the class of 2024.

Space out when filling out college applications.
Whether you are applying to two or 20 schools, it is important to stay on track and be organized during this process. Keep yourself on a schedule and do not wait until the last minute. While it might be tedious and annoying, it is a sure way to avoid any unnecessary stress to your life.

It is also important to note that it is more than okay to recycle essays and ideas for the different schools being applied to. Colleges want to learn about your individuality and what makes you a fit for their school, but they often have similar prompts. Make use of calendars, a notes app or a schedule to discuss what essays you have to write, and when. There are worldwide deadlines for Early Decision and Early Action, but another strategy is to use self-made deadlines for specific schools to keep yourself organized and on pace throughout the process.

Do not get discouraged by deferrals or rejections:
If you ask almost any person in college or who has graduated, they will say the same thing: the college process borders on random. Getting rejected or deferred is in no way indicative of your capabilities as a student or as a person. There is not one specific attribute college admissions are looking for, and if there was, no one knows what it is. Obviously, rejection is upsetting and it is okay to be sad about it, but do not let yourself wallow in that feeling. Pick yourself up and tell yourself that it will work out in the end and that it is that college’s loss for rejecting you.

Senioritis will hit. Try to stay involved and engaged in school:
Once the end of the year comes around, it will get harder to focus on school and senioritis will run rampant. However, seniors still need to stay involved and pass their classes, even though it may feel like school does not matter. One way to stay caught up with school is to take classes that you are interested in so that you are more driven to stay engaged. By selecting classes for the content rather than for the rigor, students will feel like school has more of a purpose, thereby counteracting senioritis.

Additionally, become friendly with your tablemates in class, and try to make school as enjoyable as it can be. Remember, it is your last time as a high school student and college/real life will be very different, so cherish these high school memories and those friendships that were given to you by a random seating chart.

Go to school events and participate in senior activities:
WCHS administration and SGA plan multiple events throughout the year for the entire school as well as some just for the graduating class. Senior year is the last year that many have the opportunity to spend time with their grade as a whole, so make the most out of it. After the previous few classes have gotten their high school experiences shortened or abruptly ended, it is imperative to not take senior year for granted. Go out and cheer loudly at sports games and pep rallies, get decked out in the theme for football games and make lasting memories as a WCHS Bulldog.

Whether it is Homecoming, Glow, Senior Sunrise, Senior Day at Smokey Glen, Senior Assassin or Prom, there are so many opportunities to connect with the entire grade and make memories before going separate ways after graduation.

Senior year is filled with some of the most exciting events, but it also comes with a lot of stress that is rarely talked about. Follow these suggestions to help make your senior year the best last year of high school that it can be.