"It isn't Superhero School. It's just college."

Harish said this to me one day while working on college prep. This bright, bouncy kid, always the one to bring energy to a group, more often than not with a great idea for a business or a weekend gathering, felt frustrated. Why? Because the college preparation process can feel so dehumanizing. It can feel overwhelming and impossible to make everyone happy, to answer every question, and to achieve every ideal score.

When it's time to start planning for academics after high school, there are many high-pressure moments. These are often peppered by nagging questions like, "Where are you applying?" "What's your GPA?" "Are you worried about the grade you got in that one class?" "Have you thought about how far away you want to go?" "What about your family?" "What do you want to study?" "Did you hear where [popular kid] is applying?" "Did you hear where [well-known athletic kid] was accepted Early Decision?" and so on, and so on, and so on.

So, here is a piece of advice for students: 

Define a place for yourself where you will feel like you can be your true self. What is the weather like there? How do you feel there in the middle of the night? On a rainy day? When you have a tough deadline? When you miss those who are important to you? What kind of space does it have for studying? Reading? Daydreaming? Exercising? What hobbies are available there? Who else is there? What types of organizations? People?

Whether you storyboard, collage, vision board, or write about this place, give it definition. This is the kind of place where you want to pursue academics beyond high school. 

The more specific this place is, the more effective it will be for helping you focus when creating a list of possible colleges and universities that are right for you, not the "superhero" you or the "popular kid" you, or the "person my friends will think is awesome" you. Just YOU.   

You might also discover that you are not yet clear about this place. This could mean that a gap year, study abroad, internship, paid gig, or volunteer program might be the best option for you before beginning a traditional college or university program. 

No matter what, having a clear vision will help you keep your sanity when it feels like everything is overwhelming and people expect you to be a superhero when you are just, plainly, you - your wonderful, unique self.  You are super enough!