Senior year, probably one of the most active and pressure filled year of a student’s life. With college applications, sports, jobs, social lives, and school work to keep up with, one could crack under pressure. Mixing sports with school is a decision usually made within the first or second year of one’s high school years, sometimes even before. And by your final year in high school that decision can make the pressure put on you that much more.

Saturday, Nov. 15, was the day of the state cross country meet. John Slife (’15) is a captain on the boys Cross Country team and happens to have 2 interviews on the same day as the state meet.

His first interview is for the U.S Senate Youth Program which is a scholarship program in D.C that will fly you up there, introduce you to the president and show you how Congress works. Only 10 people in the state of Florida become finalists and only 2 get the opportunity to go.

His second interview is for Congress woman Kathy Castor’s nomination for the Air Force Academy. He will have to call in for the interview even though it is supposed to be an in person interview.

“I talked to the people in charge and they understood the situation and that the students who apply are very busy people,” said Slife.

Even still, Slife admits the situation isn’t the best.

“I’m a bit nervous,” he said. “Im worried it will hurt my chances,”

On top of the pressure put on Slife for the interviews right before this huge meet, he also has to worry about the meet itself.

“We’re just looking to keep doing what we’re doing what we have done all year and set a team personal record,” he said. “As a team we want to place somewhere in the top 10. It’s very competitive but the top 10 finish- we’d really like that.”

With this being the state meet, this will be the last meet of the season. For Slife, it will be his last official Cross Country race.

“Since the majority of our team are seniors, it’s kinda emotional but we’re just looking to make the best out of it.”