Senior year brings a lot of uncertainties for the future. What college will I go to? What job do I want? What am I going to do with the rest of my life? Everyone has been there.
Some people seem like they have everything figured out. For others, uncertainty reigns supreme.
Planning can be time consuming, and it can be better to wait and figure out what one wants to do for sure before making commitments to life plans. Many seniors plan to attend college and then pursue a career.
Some people who have a plan have been planning for years. Senior Ali Johnson has had a plan in mind since she was twelve.
“I want to go to UC Irvine, ‘cause they have a pre-physical therapy program there.” Johnson stated.

Johnson wants to be a physical therapist when she is older. She hopes for a scholarship to make things easier, but plans on working while in college for extra support.
Another senior, Faith Burciaga, also wants to attend a four-year school with the hopes of going into a similar field. Like Johnson, she has been formulating a plan for her future years in advance and said she has everything mapped out “to a T.”
“My plan after high school is to try and get into a four year, hopefully a UC or Stanford [dream school]. From there I want to major in Biology or Molecular Biology, and go into the medical field and someday be a surgeon,” she stated.
She hopes for a scholarship once she graduates so she can immediately go to college and start her journey, which she says may take anywhere from twelve to fifteen years of school.
Owen Bartholow wants to go to Columbia Community College in order to get his credits and then work on an ambulance or design and engineer skis after he graduates, but he also has other options prepared.
“For sure going to Columbia and I would either do engineering and then transfer to UNR (University of Reno) or just take my EMT (Emergency Medical Technician test) and then move into a full time ambulance,” Bartholow said.

Jack Hosek explained his plan after graduating as well.
“Probably get my two years in at Columbia. So far just that.”
His plan consists of going to Columbia and figuring out his future while there. He did not have a complete plan for his future, but there is plenty of time to figure things out nonetheless.
Hosek said that if any of his college applications were accepted, he would prefer to go there rather than Columbia.
When asked what he would major in, Hosek responded with uncertainty.
“I’ll be damned if I know.”
Linnea Carr talked about going to Columbia and taking their fire program. Then she will go to Redding, Ca. to be a “HotShot.”She explained what that entails.
“Crazy people who jump out of planes.”

The HotShots are an interagency crew that works with CalFire and local fire agencies.
Carr stated that she originally wanted to be a lawyer, but changed directions after learning about the difficult and time-consuming nature of law school.
Dylan O’Shea also shared his plans after graduation. His plans had been made since sometime last year.
“My top choice is NYU [New York University], my second is Pace University–also in New York–and then my third choice is USF [University of San Francisco]…I want to major in theater arts and then minor in Marketing or Communications,” O’Shea stated.
He went on to say that he looks out for when Mrs. Ditler emails students about scholarship opportunities, applying for the ones he is eligible for. He also spends his time working on his applications and writing his college essays.
For seniors who have not figured everything out yet, there are people that can help by offering solutions or even just lending an ear. Not everything needs to be planned right away, but planning ahead can be helpful.
Some seniors choose to take a gap year or go to a junior college until they figure things out. Nothing is ever too late to be started. Take your time and go when you are ready.