Go for it!

Larissa Lamarca, Staff Writer

Dear leaders of the coming years, the future lies in your hands, so act now. Entering the new school year means a new chance to improve. If you are a junior or a senior it is important to do it right. To make this easier, break it down into three simple tasks to get you going in the right direction.

Start to investigate what you want to do now. The year seems long at first but every day is one step closer to college and one day less of high school. Therefore you are going to want to learn as much as you can about your skills now, so that you can apply it to what you could study and do in the future. Learn today about different jobs and positions.

Investigate about the curriculum the colleges have to offer. Make sure to find out as much as you can on what you are looking for in a potential school. Looking them up and possibly visiting them will help you assess the right school for your aspirations. Remember, these are some of the best years of your life and you would like to make sure the place ticks as many of your boxes as possible.

Get involved and find what makes you special. This will be very important when you have found your targeted schools. This year may be your junior or senior year of high school and this means getting involved is a major part of it. It is time to be proactive. If you do a sport, a club, work or volunteer, these will all make you appeal more to a school. Try to participate in more than one club or activity and make yourself stand out in your sport.

Colleges look for a diverse student. Talents, skills and success make you stand out immediately. Equally important is your determination, mindset and attitude to be different. Speaking a different language, traveling or any special experiences that not many have done may contribute to making you stand out from the crowd.

Do not lose grip and stay focused. Even if this is the third or last year as a high schooler, it is so important to make sure that you do not get carried away and forget to study hard and keep on track. Setting goals and following them until the end will help you finish the year successfully.

Try as much as possible to not get yourself overly stressed or concerned about work. Even if college is a lot to think about, this is still high school and you should enjoy it. Find the balance that works best for you. Focusing on doing what is required to keep motivated and reach your top school choice and goals. Keep on track.

Using these few guidelines and what you already know, may be a good starting point. Never lose sight of what you want to achieve and how to get there. No one is perfect, there will be obstacles, you may fail or have doubts along the way but everyone can come very close if they put the right effort into it. With this in mind, focus, have fun and do not fear the future. Make this a great year NOW.