Congrats on making it through a month and a half of senior year! It may seem like it is going by slowly, but trust me when I say it will be gone before you know it. Between homework, applying to college, attending sports practices, play rehearsals, and outside work, senior year flies by. I know that most of you are "sick of this small town" and are more than eager to get out, but don't wish it away so quickly. It is the last year you have to live within miles of most of your friends, and to make a difference in your small but important community. Here are five tips from someone who was in your place not too long ago, and wishes she could relive it.

1. Be open-minded

Try something that you have never done before, whether that is auditioning for the school musical or participating in an outside volunteer event. Even in a small school, there will always be people that you have never really spoken to that are actually really cool. Talk to that person not in your friend group who you have always admired from afar- you never know what could come of it. There are awesome people who you have grown up with but you barely even know yet. It's never too late to make new friends.

2. Don’t put off college applications

This seems like a no-brainer, but application deadlines sneak up faster than you can imagine. Senior fall is busy, but make the time to sit down and work on your essays whenever you can. Do research about whether or not your schools require supplemental essays, and start those as soon as possible so you can do your best work. There is nothing more stressful than deciding to apply to a school last minute and having an hour to complete the application before it is due. Trust me on this one- you want to give yourself time to read and think everything over before you submit it.

3. Don’t stress too much about standardized test scores

Standardized test scores do not define you. Many schools have switched over to test-optional, “holistic” methods, so they can evaluate you as a whole person rather than just by your test-taking skills. Don’t get stuck on a number- review what you can and try to manage your time wisely during the test, and that is all you can do. If you are motivated to spend hours studying for the SAT or ACT, make sure you spread your studying out so the knowledge really sticks with you. Do the best you can, but know that it is not the most important part of your application process.

4. Keep up with your work

It's easy to get stuck in a rut of senioritis, but it's far too early to slack off now. These first term grades matter for colleges, and they matter for your own self-esteem. My advice is to try to either maintain the grades you have gotten throughout high school, or push yourself to work harder. You only have a few more months of this, so why not make it count? If your grades do slip a little bit, it's okay, but definitely make sure you are consistently putting in good effort. Slacking off senior fall will only make the year go by more slowly, and it will leave your teachers with a bad impression of you. Act the way you want to be remembered.

5. Participate

You’re not too cool for spirit days. There are no spirit days in college (except for possibly game days if you go to a large university), so show some pride whenever you have the opportunity. Participate in the homecoming pep rally, go to school dances, show your community that you care. It may seem embarrassing, but you're a senior and you'll be out of there soon anyway, so why not? Next year you will envy all of the spirit week Instagrams and you won't be able to go back. Participate now, and you won't regret it.

6. Appreciate the time spent with your family

Soon, parents' weekend will be the best weekend of your year. In high school every weekend is parents weekend, and in college you only get one official one. I spent much of my senior year (and all of high school for that matter) either out doing things or holed up in my room. Your parents will make fun of the fact that you're never around, but they really do miss you. As the year comes to an end you will try to spend as much time with your friends as possible, but don't forget about your family. Come out of your room every once and a while to talk to them, and try to get to family dinners a couple of times a week. Speaking as a freshman in college, that is what I miss most about home, so don't take it for granted.

Try to keep stress levels to a minimum during this hectic year, and enjoy every moment of it. Best of luck with the college process!