LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — While students at Los Alamitos High School settle into the new year and their second semester, they are faced with an array of challenges. For the seniors, one of the biggest challenges they must face this semester is change; confronting the impending reminder that after caps are thrown at graduation, life is going to be very different. 

Obviously, change is a constant. However, for many, senior year seems to be a pivotal period of transition — and it is. Graduating feels like the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. After this summer, peers who have grown up alongside each other might not meet again for a long time. Those going to a distant university will no longer see their family every day of the week. 

Grasping these concepts can cause seniors to feel like the world around them is crumbling and they are helpless to stop it. Simultaneously, students begin to lose momentum in their daily activities as they sense this stage of life wrapping up. The effects of this are plenty and vary from person to person. Seniors suffer from burnout, resulting from the accumulation of college, grades, the future, etc. Others undergo mood swings, feeling everything from anger to anxiety to nostalgia. Most commonly, seniors experience “senioritis” and start skipping class and dropping their responsibilities.

“The college process is definitely the most stressful part (of senior year) in my opinion and staying motivated to do my school work,” said Maya Asumbrado, a LAHS senior. 

Mrs. Ledterman, the wellness counselor at LAHS, explained how feeling overwhelmed and behaving differently is extremely common for seniors in this time of change. 

“Having one foot in their future life and one in their current life can cause students to mentally ‘check out’ of high school, which often results in less homework being completed and decreased motivation to finish the year as strongly as it began,” Mrs. Ledterman said. 

Though feeling weary and anxious about change is a natural experience, it is important for seniors to not let this consume them. Mrs. Ledterman reminds students that they do not have to handle and figure everything out at once. 

“While it’s important to stay aware of deadlines, it’s okay to take time to figure out the path that feels right for you. Creating a checklist and prioritizing tasks can help make the process feel more manageable,” Mrs. Ledterman said.

Alongside their worry, many seniors also have a positive attitude toward their future. Although moving away from home is sad, it also invites a new sense of independence among students that they would not have had living at home. Seniors are encouraged to embrace the rush of excitement this change brings because it will not be around forever.

“I love having change in my life and my senior year has been a catalyst for change. While new things can be nerve-racking, I have less stress knowing it will all be over next year,” says Kaiden Montero, a senior at LAHS. 

Ultimately, change signals many things for high school seniors. Yet, rather than thinking of it as “the end,” this change is a gateway to new opportunities and experiences. 

“The changes can get pretty overwhelming, but I’m excited to see what the next few months will bring as everyone gets ready for one of the biggest transitions in their life,” said Sarina Forsyte, senior class president at LAHS.

With that, seniors, if you are growing increasingly nervous and aware about everything changing, take it as a sign to live and enjoy these last few months as much as you can.

This article was originally published in the Griffin Gazette: Insight magazine in a condensed version. You can read the magazine version here.