As an annual tradition, each year Bear Facts asks a graduating senior to record his or her experiences in a multi-part column that will continue throughout the year, taking us through the uncertain journey that is senior year. This year, we have the honor of having senior Adeline Benvenuto bring us through her highly unique experiences.
The Class of 2024 has finally reached that very stressful part of high school: prepping for college. Scrounging for teachers to write letters of recommenation, looking at colleges, finalizing applications, etc. I know, personally, I’ve been feeling extremely drained.
If you don’t know me, I’m Adeline, and I’m a senior this year at Brewster. I’ll be going to college for some Art major (I have no clue which specific one yet,) and hopefully a business as well as a film/cinema minor. I’ve been looking at a lot of liberal art schools, mainly New Paltz, but I’m not opposed to other schools within New England. Dividing my attention between what’s happening right now and preparing for the future has been extremely difficult and stressful, but I’ve been trying to manage.
It is hard to believe that I am a senior – I feel like in a blur I’ve gone from an 8th grader sent home for two weeks, to finishing high school. I have a hard time remembering my earlier high school years. I know my freshman year was more than bland, and I spent most of my time online or crafting – but I can’t tell you a single thing I learned that year. Sophomore year was much better, joining more clubs, and making a lot more friends. It had it’s ups and downs, but it was so much better than spending time at home, with practically no one to talk to. Junior year was pretty exhausting, both mentally and emotionally. Juggling life, school, and trying to know my own limits caused me to repeatedly burn out. I think this year I’ve got it a little more under control, but all the work put in to try and find a happy medium has been thrown off by excessive college prepping. I know I’ll figure it out, but every time I seem like I understand, something new is thrown in. Similar to math class – just when you understand the unit, it’s onto the next one. That’s my overall general experience. But moving onto more specifics, here is what it is currently like as a senior this fall.
Fall sports have been happening, and this year’s spirit week would’ve gone really well!.. if I wasn’t sick during spirit week. How does one get Covid as a healthy teenager in 2023? I’m not too sure, but it seriously has sucked. I swim during the fall season, and I have been really focusing on my health this year as to improve my times, and my overall well being. Pushing myself in practice and in personal fitness, eating healthier, taking my meds to help with blood pressure, and I’ve been improving! Up until Covid whacked me back about three weeks in progress, especially when I was at my peak during the season. Getting back to routine has been more than difficult, especially disciplining myself as to keep with it. Missing the homecoming game and dance was also a bummer, but I bet it was fun! Being a section leader in marching band and trying to keep in touch with my section and my responsibilities, on top of school work, and sports, and being producer for the play, I may be stretching myself a bit thin. I have no clue how I managed this better in prior years, let alone with more clubs and responsibilities on top of these existing one’s. All these outside factors and pressures feel so weighted.
The fall is usually the hardest, but now I’m not so sure. I participate in winter sports, and the musical, and now the marching band is going to Florida, on top of other weekly clubs. I feel a little cheated out of my leisure time for senior year. There’s this tug of war in my head; I signed up for these responsibilities, and I’m the reason I’m stressed. On the other hand, there’s this accountability my directors and coaches hold me to that I must follow or else I’m letting others down.
As much as I am worried and stressed about so many things, I have had a lot of ups. I’ve PR’d during my time in swim, had a pretty good Football Marching season, and we just concluded our production of Done To Death with a bang! My college search as well has concluded with a list of seven schools, and now I only have a few steps left in my application! As well as all this, I am looking forward to many things in the winter! Armory trips with Winter track, the Disney trip with the Marching Band, and prepping for the Musical is on my agenda in the coming season. Although there will be so much stress, I feel as though the experience is worth it, for I love all these groups very dearly, and the finished product will be satisfied when I’m done.