By Celeste Eback, Opinion Editor

As the school year comes to a close, it’s time for seniors to start planning what to do once they graduate. Going to college, preparing for the army, trades schools, and entering the workforce are just some of the options out there for seniors to take. With those comes financial responsibilities like tuition and taxes. Considering the current situation with the world right now as well, am I really ready for the future beyond these walls?

For starters, the future is vastly unknown, so how exactly are you supposed to prepare for something you know nothing about? Sure, you could take some precautions: save money where I can, stock up on things you know you need regularly, make a schedule for myself to give my day some routine, etc. Doing all of those things can only get me so far. Albeit, that is a rather pessimistic perspective of it. At the same time though, there’s not really any way to absolutely prepare for every single possible outcome. That’s simply impossible.

Secondly, going to college feels daunting. It’s a new environment, that’s to be expected. However, the financial responsibilities that come with going to college is the biggest struggle of even making it to college. According to the Education Data Initiative, the United States currently has $1.727 trillion worth of student debt. I don’t want to become a part of that statistic.

Admittedly, this is a rather grim outlook on the situation. Of course, it’s easy to look at all the bad things that are going on in the world and admit defeat well before you’ve even begun to fight. Despite these factors though, I do have high hope for the future.

For the entirety of this year, I’ve been excited to go to college ever since I got accepted way back in December 2023. Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t expecting myself to be college bound, either. I’ve been told by so many people that I’m going to love the campus of PennWest Edinboro, so it’s been keeping me hyped for going. Sure, there’s a lot of financial responsibilities that come with going to college, but I’m confident that I’ll be able to figure something out.

What’s also been getting me motivated for the future is just the simple fact that my life feels like it’s finally moving. It’s a new chapter in my story. It leaves a great deal of possibilities for me to explore.

All and all, although the future may seem uncertain and overwhelming, I’m confident in myself that I’ll still make it through. I just need to keep my head held high and be ready for anything. All the while, giving myself some grace. I’m not going to get everything right the first time, and that’s okay. I just need to have some confidence in myself and trust that I’ll be able to handle anything that comes at me, no matter what it is.