By Ryan Johnson

As a senior in high school, I am now in the final countdown to a day that makes some students toss and turn in their beds at night: the application deadline. With more students applying to college than ever before, the pressure only builds. Thus is the story for me, but I do have some thoughts for all the happy underclassman and parents out there, to whom this whole thing is safely out of reach. Hopefully this will dispel some pressure before too many Mentos end up in the Diet Coke bottle.

First of all, do not feel rushed to get started. I still have relatively no idea of where I will be at this time next year, and I’m not alone. I would recommend waiting until at least halfway through junior year. In the meantime, keep your brain fit by trying new and challenging classes; the rewards of which are well worth the extra effort.

Next, get involved. Find a club, activity or group that you truly enjoy. Colleges love to see that participation, and this is one way to fulfill those expectations while having a great time and gaining valuable experiences. Believe it or not, there are ways to adjust to EPHS that do not require maps and a compass. Having some sort of activity makes the adjustment as a freshman a lot easier, and any student may get that sense of accomplishment as an upperclassman when he or she sees what they can do.

Now to the fun part – your own personal Everest of college mail to conquer. Be sure to pack a sleeping bag; this can be a multiple-day voyage. Here there are two options: buy a new file cabinet or start making some cuts. Personally, my under-developed organizational skills led me to the latter. In this mail you will learn valuable lessons such as the importance of recycling – the U of M must have their own tree farm – and why every city in the United States is a great one in which to live. So what is the big benefit of the myriad letters, postcards, viewbooks and, yes, even a calendar? They can be a good way to get a glimpse of lots of schools in a little bit of time. You can always expect to see things that pique your interest and things that make you want to live at home the rest of your life. People are different, schools are different: start to find some matches for you.

Then comes the time to maybe plan a few visits. Warning: if you are looking for an expert opinion from an admissions officer you probably need to lower the bar for me a bit. I have visited a few campuses and they are very exciting places. Just take a deep breath and soak up everything possible. Another thing to remember: pay attention to the places where you will eat, sleep, study and hang out. This is a place to study and learn, but you also need to live here. As I prepare to visit the East Coast, I am also prepping to observe the way of life and the people. All of these are things to consider.

I would like to pass on one piece of advice to you that I recently stumbled upon. No matter how many classes you sit in on, how many times you stay overnight or how many students you talk to, you will never know if a college is the right fit until you are attending it. So, eventually, it may be best just to find a school you like and decide to take the plunge. That is one of the best pieces of advice I have ever heard on the topic.

And now we are back to where I started, applications. It is good to avoid stressing about applications months before the deadline. This is senior year, and there is enough going on to occupy my wandering mind. Well, at least for now.

Ryan Johnson is a senior at Eden Prairie High School and editor-in-chief of the Eyrie newspaper.