It’s college application season. Common App, the main admission application site, opened on the first of this month. Deadlines approach faster each passing day as the crunch is on for seniors to polish themselves to look their very best for the possibility of getting into the college of their dreams.

Note–possibility. Getting into college is no guarantee anymore. With such high competition rates, it’s hard to get into any school, even a major state school like Florida or Florida State. The pressure weighs down on anyone who applies as they cross their fingers everything will be okay and they get accepted… or they will find out in a couple of months they’ve been rejected and that all their dreams will be shattered.

Harsh reality, sure, but one that becomes real for anyone entering their final year of high school.

I am just barely a senior, but I can’t even enjoy my last year of “childhood” because I’m so stressed about the possibilities of my future. I don’t know what I want to do or where exactly I want to go… and people assure me that I have time, but it doesn’t feel like it. The time is slipping from us and all I, and many others can even think about, is the stress.

Everything is college, college, college! This makes a good college essay! This looks good on your résumé! You need a teacher recommendation! That’s all senior year is: making you look good for those colleges and ship you away into adulthood.

It’s too much. It’s so stressful with everything piling up with an impending deadline. The future is on the line. Decisions need to be finalized. Everything needs to be finished now.

Why do we do this to children? Literal, legally considered, children are expected to make final choices that will impact the rest of their lives. Adult decisions are being made by people whose minds aren’t fully formed yet, and the real adults expect us to just… relax?

I can’t relax knowing any life plans I could possibly form now will be useless in a few months. I can’t relax with all this pressure that I feel like I’m drowning.

The only thing getting me through is the application process will be over soon. Then starts a new fear: the acceptance letters.