Ever-darkening under-eye circles, brain fog and stress levels rising to an all-time high. Computer keys seem to clack every waking hour, becoming habitual. With the end of the quarter falling on November 1st, the same day as most early-action college application deadlines, many WCHS seniors face this reality.
“With both deadlines on the same day, I know that I personally have struggled with knowing what to prioritize,” WCHS senior Anne Sefen said. “I know that if I prioritize college over schoolwork on a given day I risk lowering my grades, but if I prioritize school, I jeopardize the quality of my application.”
Students are expected to maintain a rigorous academic schedule throughout their senior year. The first semester grades are their last chance to make a change to their GPAs that will be assessed by colleges. Because of this, many students hold themselves to a high standard. Finding the right balance between the two has become ineffectual with application deadlines on the same day as quarter grades become finalized.
“I try to manage my time, but it feels like there is no room for error and no room to breathe with the overlapping deadlines,” Sefen said.
The relentless nature of the assessments and assignments that senior year courses demand can also lead to a conflict of prioritizing personal needs versus academic needs, causing feelings of suffocation and tension, ultimately affecting mental and physical health.
“I haven’t been sleeping well lately due to trying to make these deadlines, and I can feel it affecting the way my health feels and body functions,” Sefen said. “I haven’t had any time to myself recently and that affects my state of mind too.”
However, WCHS has taken steps to mitigate the end-of-the-quarter scramble that students always face. With deadlines for tests and assignments being broken up into two-week periods, the workload of missing assignments many students faced in previous years is lessened. Additionally, by not accepting practice and preparation assignments beyond the due date, added pressure to make up homework before the deadline is relieved.
“The stricter policies definitely hold me accountable for my work,” WCHS senior Ayla Akhavan said. “I also definitely have less school work piled up than I did in previous years because of the two-week deadlines.”
Still, balance is difficult to find. Beyond academics, physical and mental health, students also want to have time for themselves. Senior year should be an exciting time, filled with lifelong memories.
“Sometimes I get so bogged down by coursework that I feel like I have no time for the parts of my life that make it lively,” Akhavan said. “From missing school events like football games to not seeing my friends and family as much, I sometimes feel like I’m just getting caught up in routine all the time.
Ultimately, the overlapping deadlines are a tough barrier for WCHS seniors to manage. Eventually, this checkpoint in the year will undoubtedly be a rewarding experience, despite the overwhelming stressors and feelings of conflict that plague students along the way.
