Throughout the country, high school seniors are in the process of deciding where they are heading after they graduate. Some people may be heading straight into the workforce, but for those who are planning on attending college or university, May 1st has been rapidly approaching. May 1st, widely known as “National Decision Day” is when students commit to college, and send their deposits, to hold their spot on campus. Across the country, schools celebrate the achievement in different ways. Some hold assemblies where students are recognized and announce their decisions. In other places, students wear their college gear, a T-shirt, ball cap, or sweatshirt. Not to mention, the flood of #decisionday and #nextfour captioned pictures you’ll see all over your Instagram feed throughout the day.

Walk down any high school hallway or sit in a counselor’s office and you’ll likely hear a chorus of “Where are you going next year? What’s your school choice? Where are you going?” For some, Decision Day brings excitement about their future, others may feel relief that they have made a choice. But for many, May 1st brings big worries regarding finances and if they’ve made the right choice. Senior class president, Brooke Hoodja, will be heading to the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont this fall. She says, “It was scary to finally commit to a school, but as soon as I visited Vermont, I instantly felt comfortable and like I’d fit right in. There were so many amazing opportunities there and the overall setting and vibe of the school just made it the one for me.” Brooke was also considering going to West Virginia University, like her sister, or the University of Delaware, like some of her friends, but when it came down to it, she was truly the most comfortable and happy at Vermont. She continued to say, “Actually committing to the school was scary, because this is my life for the next four years. It is where you figure out your life and the time when you are supposed to meet some of your best friends and I was terrified that I might be making the wrong choice, but deep down I knew that I would be happy here. So I made my decision and I’m extremely happy to be joining UVM’s class of 2023.” Brooke’s feelings mirror those of many upcoming graduates across the country, and the MHS community is happy that she made the choice that was best for her.

Whether you choose to commit on May 1st or weeks prior to Decision Day, the feelings surrounding commitment are the same for every student. Marina Saburova, who’s chosen to attend Montclair State University says, “I was very nervous that I was going to make the wrong choice. My top two schools were very different, but both interesting to me. I talked to different people (family, friends, students at the different schools) to help, and visiting the schools helped also. Now that I did make the choice, I’m very excited.”

Kevin Rodriguez committed to Rutgers University a few weeks ago. He says “I’ve been looking forward to decision day since the day I knew where I wanted to go. As soon as I got my Rutgers acceptance, I didn’t have any worries or fear about planning where I’d decide to go – I kind of just knew that was where I had to go. I loved the campus on my visit, I’m in love with the school in general, and with my major decided, I already knew what to look forward to at Rutgers university. Making my decision wasn’t a tough one, and it definitely held more excitement than fear.”

While finally committing to a college or university can be daunting, it solidifies the choices a student is making for the next four years of their life. It’s a day that, though it brings anxiety, should bring pride and excitement. Congratulations to all the MHS seniors that have made their decisions, we wish you all the best of luck!