From Senioritis to a Bittersweet End: My 4th Semester at Gatton

Clicking the submit button on the last college on the Common Application grants a strong feeling of relief and satisfaction. Since as long as I can remember, every choice I have ever made academically has been for this moment. From every exam I’ve studied for to every competition I’ve been in, all of these efforts have been towards this one goal: to get into a “good” college. For me, a good college is one where I see myself happy and content with my choice. What is one’s definition of a good college may vary from another’s, but regardless, college applications mark the end of a high school’s student’s academic journey. Now that the fourth semester is upon us and this goal is no longer pressing, what is there to strive for anymore?

For the first time in my life, I am left asking myself the following questions: what do I genuinely enjoy doing? What genuinely makes me happy?

The Gatton Academy has presented many challenges over the last two years, all of which have shaped me into the person that I am today. As Gatton comes to an end, I find it important to have a fulfilling conclusion for this rollercoaster of a journey. A fulfilling conclusion, to me, involves making the most out of all of the opportunities presented. I want to experience life at the Gatton Academy to its fullest, whether it’s through signing up for field trips not pertinent to my academic interests or dabbling in activities foreign to me. Moreover. I hope to deepen the friendships I have made over the last few years and establish new relationships with people I’ve never gotten a chance to talk to.

Life at the Gatton Academy can feel oversaturated at times when school becomes overwhelming. At these times, I would usually focus all of my energy on school and disregard activities that genuinely make me happy. If I were to divert from schoolwork, a feeling of guilt would consume me. This semester, I have allowed myself to indulge in activities I enjoy and surprisingly, my overall quality of life has increased. I am one for tying up loose ends and the only way I can graduate from Gatton feeling satisfied with all of my choices is to have a fulfilling conclusion to these last two years. This mindset has helped me tackle senioritis, the lethargy associated with the spring semester on senior year, by motivating me to end on a high note.

            Coming into Gatton, I had a very specific set of goals for myself. While those still live within me, I have developed goals that are encompass what I truly want out of life: happiness. This last semester has consisted of my pursuit of happiness as well reflection. The person who I am today is entirely different from who I stepped in the building as and that awareness has allowed me to understand the kind of person I aspire to be. As the bittersweet ending of Gatton grows near, I hope to acquire a richness of life experiences to prepare me for the next chapter that life has to offer.