Living with Lindsay: Spooky Season

Back in middle school, October 1st was a special day. It was the start of “spooky season,” when teachers would decorate their rooms for Halloween and the only thing you and your friends would talk about was your costume ideas. 

This year though, for everyone in the senior class, October 1st was important for a different reason. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA was officially open. Now that sounds really boring, and for sure is a step down from talking about one of the greatest holidays of the year, but it’s actually a big deal. 

The FAFSA takes about half an hour to fill out, and once completed it allows the student to be eligible for all kinds of scholarships, grants, loans, etc. Completing your FAFSA form is a step in the right direction of getting accepted into and being able to comfortably attend your dream school. 

As a high school senior, you have a lot to think about. I mean you are quite literally deciding what you want to do with your life. That’s a lot to take in, and it’s a lot of pressure. 

You have to decide a major, maybe a minor, schedule college tours and commit to the best one, think about your car, your future job and house, and to do that of course you have to consider money. 

Money is scary. It’s a huge responsibility, and if I’m being honest, it’s probably the main reason why I have procrastinated so much on getting my Common Application done. 

Maybe it’s just me, but I genuinely just have a hard time scheduling tours, emailing admissions counselors, and applying for scholarships. It’s hard to think about, and it’s a lot of weight to carry. 

Not only that, but I have a life right now too. It’s not like I have a ton of free time to sit down and plan day by day to make sure what I’m doing is right. 

I am a cheerleader, I play in the band, I’m in more clubs and activities than I can count, and I hold an officer position in the majority of them. Not to mention, half of the things I love and have enjoyed for the last four to five years of my life are coming to an end. 

Football season is a part of every high school student’s life whether they are on the field, in the stands, or dressing up for spirit days at school. The thought of this exciting few weeks already being over makes me feel sick. For the underclassmen, they’ve still got years to go. But for us seniors, that was our last run. 

So “locking in” on college stuff and adult decisions is already hard enough. But when you have to let go of something that you have grown to love very much, it makes any tedious task that requires effort seem even more difficult to do. 

It seems like a never ending nightmare right now, but it will get better. We will get past all of this initial shock and adrenaline, and eventually settle in to the rest of our year. So seniors, hang in there!

Get the annoying and probably scary tasks done early. Fill out the FAFSA, tour campuses, apply for scholarships, ask for recommendation letters, and apply for college. We got this!

This month I am giving the senior spotlight to some of my best friends, Lillian McCulloch, Alice Ravert, and Grace Barkauskas! They have spent the last few weeks, day and night, for hours on end, after school, and on weekends, rehearsing for the fall play. “Steel Magnolias,” written by Robert Harling, focuses on a group of ladies in southern Louisiana who gather on occasion at a local beauty salon. Ali played the mother of Shelby, M’Lynn Eatenton, Lilly played Clairee Belcher, a friend of M’Lynn’s, and Grace got to be the comical relief as the hilarious and grumpy Ouiser Boudreaux. It was super cool to be able to see my friends get the cast list, start practicing their scripts, and eventually start setting the progress they were making in just a few short months. They had to learn every single line, prop directions, stage cues, and they had to line up quick changes into many elaborate 70s-esque costumes as well. I am so proud of the hard work that they put into something that they love so much, and hope that they enjoyed their last play in their high school careers!

	From left to right: Flute and piccolo senior section leaders Savanna Farley, Lindsay Garber, and Alice Ravert all smile for a photo before they walk the field with their parents on Senior Night. The group of girls have been inseparable since middle school, and this night was something that they had looked forward to doing together for a very long time. Photo provided by Lindsay Garber
	October students of the month Carlos Tira and Lillian McCulloch pose for a picture together. The two were chosen by the Montoursville Lions Club for their various contributions to the school so far this year. Photo taken by Lindsay Garber
	From left to right: Seniors Elizabeth Wanner, Emily George, and Lindsay Garber spend their free time during a study hall in the flex space together. The three of them normally play hangman or M.A.S.H but this day they decided on writing some of their favorite Taylor Swift lyrics on the whiteboard. Photo provided by Lindsay Garber
	The seniors on the Arrowhead staff are ready to enjoy the rest of their day on the Bloomsburg University campus after finishing their competition part of the trip. The annual trip to the PSPAs consists of a print, broadcast, and photography competition, listening to some guest speakers, and then students’ favorite part … lunch at Chick-fil-A. Photo taken by Raigan Fredericks
	The football team seniors and the cheer squad pose with the bridge trophy after the iconic Battle of the Bridge football game. It was a long and cold night, but the victory was worth it in the end, and the seniors got to go out with a bang – finally claiming back the green bridge. Photo by Lillian McCulloch