Caitlyn Rand ’13
Web Opinions Editor

Right now, seniors across America are filling out common aps, writing college entrance essays, and overall majorly stressing about applying for college.

Well, try being their little sister.

I’ve heard of contagious hiccups, yawning, and laughing, but never contagious stress. I blame colleges for provoking this phenomenon.

As a sophomore, I thought I had at least another year before I had to even begin thinking about college. Boy, was I wrong.

Just watching my brother apply for college is stressing me out more than the stress of balancing all of my homework, clubs, physical therapy, and managing soccer, which is definitely saying something.

All of you juniors and seniors out there may be saying, “She has no clue what she’s talking about. She’s not even the one applying right now. You haven’t even come close to being stressed until you enter 11th grade.” Well, if you are thinking that, try worrying that if you’re this stressed for your brother’s own applications, you’re going to be a nervous wreck when your own come along. And then you have to live two years in anxiety until you even start.

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Logically, since I’m not the one filling out all of the applications, it shouldn’t be this stressful, but hearing people around me stress just makes me so frazzled. All I hear is “Did you finish the essay for _______ (insert one of what seems like three thousand schools)??” or “When is the application for ______ due?” or “You’ve used this word three times, give me some synonyms for it.”

Obviously, I am stressed for my brother; I want him to get into his dream school and be happy. But it’s freaking me out about my own future also, seeing various college pamphlets strewn around the house and hearing a different college name every six seconds.

It’s not only the application process that has me stressed out, but just the whole gist of applying for college. Keeping in mind the fact that my brother’s applying for college, people are asking me where I plan on applying. They ask me where I’ve visited, which campuses I liked the best, if I want to go to a city school, etc. I’ve even been asked what I’m writing my personal essay about.

I am a sophomore. I have schools in mind, but only like two. I have no clue whatsoever where I am applying. The fact that people expect that I do just stresses me out even more, because then I start wondering if I’m not worrying enough.

It’s a vicious cycle of worry and stress.

There is one positive thing about all of this worry: hopefully, my parents and I will have learned from the mistakes that were made this time around and have an easier time with my applications. So take that, older siblings.

In the mean time, I will continue to stress about college applications—my brother’s, that is.