As I go into my senior year of college (ew, when did I get so old?) I have started to think back to my senior year in high school. I had so much to look forward to the summer before then. Being the oldest in school, looking at colleges, being able to drive, having little to no homework, senior year of high school was the best year by far. But now that I am going into another senior year, I have none of that to look forward to. So I have compiled a list of the differences between the summer going into senior year of high school and the summer going into senior year of college.
High School: Looking forward to spending time with friends before you leave for college and only see them for holidays/summers.
The summer before senior year in high school is the summer when you start to get excited for the year ahead. You have little to no responsibility because you aren't getting ready for college yet, you finished taking your SAT's or ACT's. This is the last summer you have before your friends start leaving for college at random points in August.
College: Enjoying your last time seeing a majority of your friends/peers because you live in different cities/states and may never see each other again. (Sorry, but it’s true).
When you go home for the summer throughout college, you know you will see your friends once you get back, even if they live hours away. This is the last summer that you get to be home and have that security. All summers after this summer, you don't know the next time you will see your friend that lives in another city or state.
High School: Knowing after this year, you have 4 more years of partying and freedom.
After this summer, you have many more summers ahead of partying and having fun with your friends. This isn't the last summer you get to enjoy your freedom and minimum responsibility.
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College: After this year, you have to be a real person.
This is the summer leading up to the last year of your academic life. After this, you may no longer have May-August free to do whatever you want. You have to enjoy this summer as much as possible because you may not have as much free time in the summer's to come.
High School: The last summer of everyone being together and not leaving for college at any given day.
Like previously stated, this is the last summer before your friends start going off to college and you start your lives in different places. Summer after senior year is always bittersweet, so enjoy this summer while you can.
College: The last summer before the rest of your life, where “summers” aren’t vacations anymore.
Unfortunately, many people aren't lucky enough to be in a career where they get summers off. Summers will soon become like every other season, just much hotter, and you will think about all of those summers when you were free to be with friends and do whatever it was that you wanted to do.
There are many similarities and many differences between summer going into senior year of high school and summer going into senior year of college. Being a senior, whether in high school or college, is supposed to be one of the best years of your life. So, enjoy your summer and enjoy your year because before you know it, you will be sitting inside in the winter wishing it was 90 degrees and sunny.
