The simple word college can evoke fear, stress and even excitement. Since we were little, college has been programmed into our brains as an opportunity to further our lives after high school. College is also a personal choice that we all have to consider at the beginning of our junior year.

There are tons of colleges with characteristics that fit each individual’s unique preference. When applying to college you have to keep in mind, the size of the campus and classes, the majors offered, the richness of campus life, the appeal of location, and what you personally want to obtain from your college experience.

“When I applied to colleges I had to do a lot of research before actually sitting down and filling out forms and writing essays,” senior Drew Rogers said. “I didn’t want to waste any of my time on a college that I wasn’t really interested in.”

There are different perspectives and ideas of what college will be like. Movies typically portray college life as all fun and no work with constant frat parties, hot girls and little to no school related stress. High school is all about preparing you for the hard curriculum, responsibility, and massive workload. So which portrayal should we believe?

“I feel like college is all about furthering your knowledge and education while having opportunities to relax and have fun at the same time,” senior Sam Barrera said. “Once you’ve put in the necessary work, you’re able to reward yourself at the end of the day while still maintaining responsibility.”

The transformation of mindsets, friends, interests and passions from your freshman year in high school to your senior year can be staggering or quite the opposite. What you thought you wanted for yourself freshman year can be so different now that you can’t even believe yourself. The colleges you thought were the best fit for you can actually be the worst.

“When I was a freshman the party hype of college had my full attention, so my college of choice was Texas State due to the talk of San Marcos and the college itself,” senior Jordan Creech said. “Now that I’m a senior I realize I have a lot more potential, so I’ve decided to pursue a music school that best fits my passion.”

College is not something your parents, or your teachers, or administration can decide for you. You have free range when it comes to what college you’re interested in applying too, and only you can put in the work to achieve your goal.

“My junior year I was really lazy and didn’t want to put in the necessary work, until my mom made me realize that nobody was going to get me that acceptance letter other than myself, and that was the push I needed,” Rogers said. “My advice to juniors for this year and next is stay on top of deadlines, and remember that you are the key to your own success.”