Dealing with the College Admissions Wait
In March, college admissions officers make their final decisions, seal the envelopes and mail them to all of the eagerly awaiting applicants. Most students spend half of their high school career trying to figure out how to get into college, how to score higher on the ACT or SAT or how to write the perfect essay. So instead of biting your nails, try these three strategies to handle the wait for your college admissions letter.
1. Get a Hobby
Most high schoolers have access to tons of extracurricular activities. If you’re already involved in something, maybe it’s a musical, the mathletes or lacrosse. So make a goal for yourself to improve something. Challenge yourself to play a note longer, do harder math in your head or run a quicker mile. That way, your mind will be less focused on your admissions letter and more about how you can achieve what’s in your control.
If you’re not involved in an after-school activity, make your own. Join friends who have the same interest as you and form your own club. As long as you’re involved in something that piques your interest, your nerves will have the chance to relax while you wait for college admissions decisions.
2. Treat Yourself
Treat yourself to something that will make you relax. Perhaps it’s an extra hour of television, a box of chocolates or a massage. With the stress of high school and the college search, so many students barely have enough time to just sit down and relax. Allow some time for yourself to do what eases your mind.
For some people, it might be exercising during a time when you usually force yourself to sit at your desk to do homework. For others, it’s allowing some time to veg out. Either way, give yourself a little relaxation during the week if you find yourself freaking out about your college acceptance letter.
3. Plan your Spring Break
No matter what you’re doing over spring break, you can focus your nervous energy on planning it out day by day. If you’re heading to an exotic destination, do some research to find out which tourist attractions excite you.
If you’re staying put during spring break, clean out your closet, visit that museum you’ve always wanted to explore or shop at the mall. Wherever you go, planning a detailed schedule will give you something fun to do while keeping your mind off of that admissions letter.
