Myth or fact: Senior year is the most relaxing year in high school.

    The answer? Myth.

    “Not only do they have to continue working hard,” College and Career Center Counselor Cathy Haberl said. “They have to finish their apps and maintain their GPA.”

    Underclassmen and juniors are often led to believe that their fourth and final year of high school is the easiest, and therefore, worry-free.

    “I thought [senior year] was the party year,” sophomore Nate Grim said.

     In reality, senior year can be one of the most stressful experiences a student can have. The typical worries of homework, tests, and quizzes don’t just magically disappear when senior year rolls around.

    During first semester, it’s college application season. Seniors fret over letters of rec, Naviance, and college essays to get their applications in before their deadlines— all the while maintaining their grades and athletics.

    Filling out college apps isn’t as easy as it seems; after filling out basic information about themselves, seniors often have to write multiple essays in order fulfill the application’s requirements.

    “[The struggle] has only begun,” Haberl said.

    Many seniors even claim that this year has been the toughest of any other year in high school, because of the added pressure of getting into colleges and universities.

    However, once the first half of the year is over, seniors can begin to relax. After college applications are completed and submitted, seniors can finally indulge in the “relaxing, fun” remainder of the school year.

    “College apps are pretty stressful,” senior Nadine Vomund said. “But that’s pretty much it. Nothing else is really stressful.”