As December rolls around, more and more seniors are trying to figure out their plans for after graduation. Some students have already decided on a college due to an athletic career, while others are trying to figure out if college is the right decision. The pressure and overwhelming feelings about applying for schools and scholarships have been sending the students into either excitement or panic, causing cases of senioritis to already set in.

Students like Peyton Bittle and Sadie Ziegler have recently signed to their colleges since they were offered opportunities to continue their athletic career on a college level. Peyton Bittle accepted a D3 baseball offer at McKendree University in Lebanon, IL. Bittle has played high school baseball for four years and has started varsity for three of them. “It is definitely nice to have my decision made and be able to play my senior year without having to worry about the next level. It is a big weight off my shoulders,” said Bittle. “I am super excited about the opportunity to continue my career as it has been my dream since I was a little boy. It is awesome that I achieved it.” 

Along with this, Ziegler is in the same position as Bittle. She recently has accepted her offer for the softball program at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) after her hard work on the field for the past four years at Carterville. Ziegler said, “I am blessed to be given such an amazing opportunity. Finding a college and the process of applying was stressful, but I am super excited and can’t wait to see what my future holds.” 

Other students have decided that college may not be their forte, leading them to attend a trade school. Noah Tabor has been planning to go into linework since early junior year, and plans to go through with the decision. “Going into a trade is the best for me because it seems more appealing than going to a college. It also has a lot of benefits for me and my future.” Due to Ms. Owen’s workplace course offered at the high school, more students are feeling comfortable with attending a trade school compared to a traditional university.

Overall, there are a few students that have been confident in their decisions for their future, while others are still left clueless about what to do and where to go. Many campuses are hosting their monthly open houses where students are able to explore the college along with meeting professors and learning about potential scholarships. Along with this opportunity, the school allows seniors an unexcused absence on school days for attending these events.

Maddi Davis is one of the many students who is planning to stay local and attend Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. “I am so extremely excited to attend SIUC. I love my program and I am so ready for my future.” Local colleges have been very supportive of CHS, offering scholarships specicfically for our high school. SIUC has promised to give a student here a full ride just by filling out a scholarship application. This is titled as the Presidential Scholarship – The Chancellors. 

Committed student, Hunter Noto, also agrees with Davis that the opportunity to branch out and explore a new environment is intriguing. Noto has both an academic and athletic scholarship to attend University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, Missouri. She adds, “It is very relieving. I am so thankful that I was finally able to accomplish this. But it is bittersweet because I am going to miss all of my greatest teammates, but I am excited to start the next chapter of my life.” After signing, the relief of having everything figured out is swallowed by the fear of what is next. 

Along with Davis and Noto, Ella O’Brien is in a similar situation. While she is not exactly sure of where she is going to attend, she is “excited for the future opportunity to go out and meet more people.” Going to a school that is not local allows for students to see unfamiliar faces and become more socially confident. Once figuring out their program, meeting students can be rewarding. 

While the freshman through junior class sits back, the seniors are feeling the pressure of these life changing decisions. There still is plenty of time to figure out what is best for them, but many college discussions are happening and seniors are now being forced to figure out what lies ahead after graduation in May.