East’s class of 2024 experienced varying levels of stress during the first semester of their Senior year due to their class schedules, extracurricular activities, college applications, and other factors. 

Some Seniors including Landon Kangas feel that their lives are easier after finishing Junior year. 

“It’s definitely the easiest year so far. I’ve never been too stressed out with school, but this is by far my least stressful year . . . there’s not a lot of pressure leading up to SATs or finals,” Kangas said. 

Since many Seniors have already earned most of the necessary credits to graduate, they are able to take less classes and take advantage of late arrival or early release. 

“I have double early release. It’s really nice to get out early so I can relax at home for a little bit before practice or work,” Kangas said. 

However, other seniors at East, such as Lana Alnajm, are having their most stressful year yet.

“I don’t sleep. I don’t eat . . . It’s so bad. We have college applications and then extracurriculars, but at the same time, you have to keep up with your grades,” Alnajm said.

Even though Alnajm has earned all of her graduation requirements except for her physical education credit, she still has a rigorous class schedule.

“I still have a full schedule because there are colleges that want you to take everything. I can’t do early release. I can’t do late arrival,” Alnajm said.

Like other Seniors, Alnajm thought her last year in high school would be the most enjoyable. However, that has not been the case for every senior, such as her and Madison Ruth.

Ruth, a senior at East that is graduating a semester early, has not had an easy senior year, but she has still been able to enjoy it.

“I kind of regret taking all the classes I took this year besides Gym, because I took four AP classes and I probably shouldn’t have done that . . . [but] I feel like I am having more fun this year just because I know that it’s gonna be over soon,” Ruth said.

Ruth also reflected on why senior year can be very difficult.

“I feel like it depends on where you want to go to college. And it depends on how good you did on your SATs because if you did really bad on your SATs, you’re gonna want good first semester grades of your senior year,” Ruth said.

Katelin Hong, Zachary Barnes, and Alessandra Di Paolo are staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.