Jennifer Angelo is a high school senior and a contributor to The Princeton Review’s IN blog.
It’s strange: now that I’ve finished my college applications, I have free time again. Instead of trying to find the time to write essays, I am actually looking for things to do. This would have been unthinkable just a month ago.
At first, it was great to have some time to relax. I spent a lot of time doing nothing, and it felt good. But, surprisingly, that got boring. Doing nothing lowered my overall motivation—it was tough to do homework or, really, anything productive. I decided that I needed to find new things to do to avoid a serious case of senioritis.
So I did. I am currently in the process of applying for three scholarships, all of which require essays. Even if I don’t win any of them, it feels good to be applying. I also found a second job: in addition to my current job at an ice cream store, I will soon start working at a restaurant. It won’t hurt to have a little extra spending cash for college.
However, the biggest change since I finished my applications is I feel like I can go out again: I'm not stuck at home working on applications. It’s crazy, but, until this month, I hadn't been to the movies or stayed out really late since summer. Now, with life just a little bit easier, I am enjoying my last year at home with my friends.
Of course, I still have homework. I still have to study and I still have school-related activities. I won't let forget these obligations. However, I am happy to be more relaxed. It's important to have fun, and I'm thrilled to have some time to do that again.
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