We all experience stress at some point in our lives, and we all experience it at different levels. Stress comes to high school students from different things, but there’s one thing that seems to stress students out (specifically seniors and juniors) to no end: college. Yes, college is stressful for high school students before it even begins, and here are some reasons why:

1. Applying: The application process seems to take years to complete. Thankfully, many schools use platforms like Common App, on which you can complete one application and submit it to different schools. However, even after you finish the stressful process of applying, you still have to wait to see if you have been accepted to a school or not, and that can make you just as anxious, if not more.
2. Making a Decision: The time has come! You’ve been accepted into schools, and you’re finally ready to confirm enrollment at a college! Except there is still one problem: which school do you want to go to? Many factors play a role in this decision, such as tuition, location, the campus, and fields of study. Which college do you pick? Of course, this varies for everyone. If you’ve been admitted to your dream school and are able to go, congratulations! The decision process won’t be too hard for you. If you’re contemplating what you’re looking in a school, then this can be one of the most stressful processes.
3. Housing: Finally! You’ve chosen your school! You’ve figured out where you want to go and what you want to do, now for the next step: where are you going to live? Housing can be difficult because you, once again, need to apply for the dorms. Many schools have different dorm options based on majors and/or lifestyles. If there is one dorm you are dying to get into, it’s best to apply as soon as possible because it might be full. Waiting to see where you’re going to live is stressful, and if the dorm is full, it can put even more stress on you. Thankfully, you can keep trying with the room change requests they allow. However, those are still no guarantee that you’ll get into the dorm you want!
4. Moving Out and Being Alone: Most colleges require students to live on campus their freshman year. Once you’ve gotten which dorm you’ll be living in, the next stressful step comes in: who are you going to room with? How are you going to live alone, the only people around you being complete strangers? This usually always causes stress for students who are going away for college and have no friends around them. Many colleges now have Instagram pages where you can see other students in your graduating class and see their interests, though. This helps people make new friends before move-in time comes around, and it can also help many people find roommates! Still, the thought of truly and fully going off on your own is nerve wracking.
5. Tuition: Now for one of the most stressful things about going off to college: the tuition. The cost for a college can get outrageously expensive, especially after all the textbooks and meal plans. Even in-state tuition is expensive, and out-of-state tuition is beyond ridiculous. Scholarships can help a great deal, but it might be best to start thinking of ways to earn money if you haven’t already.
6. Pressure: One of the last things that stresses students out about college is the pressure put on them. There’s pressure from high school, pressure from parents, pressure from peers, pressure from society. There’s even a great deal of pressure from college itself. Going off to college puts students under an immense amount of it, and sadly, it doesn’t seem to let up throughout the attending years. All you can do is work hard, study, and bear through it!