Caps and gowns. Prom dresses and tuxedos. Dues. The second semester of senior year is by far the busiest, and definitely the most expensive with everyone busy preparing for graduation. Few, however, make a point to stop and wonder, What are all the seniors planning to do once they leave high school?

At FCHS, quite a few of the seniors are not really sure what they want to do after they graduate, and it is okay to be unsure of what you want to do after high school. It is a weird transition, and not everyone may think that they are ready to go off to college or to go straight into the workforce.

Recent interviews with a number of FCHS seniors reveal that most are planning on going to college, and that many of them are already done applying and have gotten acceptance letters. There is a wide range of colleges that seniors have applied to, with most of them in Virginia and a few out-of-state, the most popular being PVCC, Virginia Tech, VCU, UVA, University of Mary Washington, and JMU.

Some seniors knew from the start that a four-year school was their only choice. “It has never been a question in my house whether or not I was going to college. I honestly thought that everyone went to college after high school,” said Mia Scalzo. For those who chose to go to PVCC instead of going off to a four-year school, it was mostly the money that made all the difference. “The price of a two-year college versus a four-year college is a huge difference,” said Carlene Hughes.

Morgan Kennedy was among those who knew one-hundred percent what they wanted to do and where they wanted to go. Getting accepted to both JMU and Virginia Tech already, she said that Virginia Tech is her top choice. “Its beautiful campus, fun environment, and everyone there is so happy,” she said.

Kennedy is not the only one ready for a change. When asked if she was ready and/or excited about the transition, Jordan Persinger said, “Absolutely! This is my first opportunity at not feeling like a kid.” Not everyone is feeling as confident; the change from high school to college is still a big one, and not everyone is ready to embrace it so quickly. “[I’m] excited and nervous at the same time. It is a big change to go through,” said Andrew Guess.

Many of the seniors who have decided to go off to a four-year college at some point already have an idea of what they wanted to major in. Some branch of medical studies seems to be a popular choice among the ladies, while the guys have a few engineers in their bunch.

As diverse as all of the seniors are, they had all “ready to go” in common, while admitting that they will miss their friends. “I love my family. They’re great, but I think I’ll miss my friends the most,” said Kennedy. Some of the seniors are focused primarily on finishing high school before they go off to a new place. “I’m still trying to focus on finishing with good grades but am starting to understand what senioritis feels like,” Kennedy said. Guess agreed. “I plan on enjoying the rest of high school before worrying about college.” Others, however, are ready to get going. “I’m more focused on college,” said Persinger. “At this point, I feel like I’ve already completed high school.” Then there are those who are somewhere in between. “I am still transitioning. I feel like I am thinking of both [high school and college] equally,” said Scalzo.

Senior year is an exciting time, and the second semester always goes by in a flash. With FAFSAs needing to be completed, classes to be passed, and prom dresses and tuxedos to be bought, there is a lot of running around to do. But seniors need to remember: instead of running around like a chicken with your head cut off, there is only one thing you really need to do. Breathe.