Meeting deadlines, greeting a new year

The year is coming to a close and, for my fellow seniors and I, tunnel vision has kicked in. In 19 days the iconic New Year’s ball will drop in Times Square and the sound of “Auld Lang Syne” will ring in 2014. The year we graduate.

The holiday season is usually filled with hot cups of cocoa, but lately the only thing that seems to be in my cup is coffee — used to stay awake and meet college application deadlines.

With time seeming to escape through my fingertips, anxiety has begun to take its course. The only things “dashing” this month are the feet of seniors to the college guidance room. With deadlines to meet, seniors approached this past Thanksgiving holiday with rigorous schedules that balance family, applications and schoolwork.

It is a scary time for seniors, our school routine is settled and the quiet hum of familiarity is eerie. We live in constant anticipation of change. As the days get colder we realize that with the change in season come changes in our lives, too. Every time our phones vibrate we check emails to see if a college has received our documents and every time the mailman delivers we sift for an acceptance letter as we would hidden treasure. It is an exciting time for seniors and their families, but we shouldn’t forget to pause.

Although it may seem cold and bitter, and the fast pace that everything is moving in can’t seem to produce enough heat, December should be used as a month to reflect. December is the dividend between the closing of one chapter in our lives and the blank page to start a new one. December 31 is a deadline in itself: It’s the last moment we’ll share in 2013 and it begs the question: Have we accomplished what we’ve wanted?

It has, without a doubt, been a long and winding path to peace of mind. With lots of sleepless nights and schedules that have more eraser marks than penciled words, I have learned that organization is just the next step in moving forward. The beauty in this deadline, though, is that our extension is waiting for us once the clock strikes midnight. January will come around and the universe will grant us another 365 days.

Approach the holiday season with love, end 2013 on a good note, and greet each deadline with a smile.