Mo kelly Staff Writer
Like any a typical high school student does, I check my email fifty times a day. It used to be mostly empty, with the exception of a few spam emails. But, since sophomore year started, I’ve noticed an influx of emails from colleges. And I am not very happy about it.
At first, it was kind of exciting. It was cool that these colleges were contacting me. They must really like me, I thought. Then, I started talking to my classmates about it. Each one of them had been getting the same emails (and a few letters) from the same colleges. This made me pretty mad. Before, it felt personalized. Now, I know that they just send the same cookie-cutter mold out to any student that they want.
Personally, I am planning to go to college. It’s actually something I look forward to. But, after watching both of my brothers go through the extremely stressful college application process, I don’t want to rush in to it. I want to enjoy high school while I still can, not wonder what I should major in. The contant college emails and letters distract me quite a bit from that.
Everyday, I get an average of 5 emails from college. They’re mostly from colleges I’ve never even heard of. Each one has the same intro: “We think a dedicated student like you should explore your potential,” or some form of that.
Occasionally, they break the mold. My personal favorite was from a primarily science based school. It began, “Curie, Edison, Newton…Kelly?” It did make me laugh a lot. If their aim was to grab my attention, it definitely worked. Although I do admit that I forget what school sent me that letter.
It’s not just college mail that has begun. Recently, in advisory we selected our courses for both junior and senior year. I’m barely halfway through sophomore year and I have to decide what science I want to take two years from now. I feel worse for the freshmen. The decisions I was making about my courses were mostly based off of what I thought would look good on college applications, instead of what I actually wanted to take.
Even my family has started asking questions. Almost every week my dad says the same thing. “This time next year you’ll start the college process.” Recently, I went to a gathering where every single one of my family members asked me where I was going to go for college and what I wanted to do when I grow up. Each one of them tried to not so subtly push their alma matter on to me. My Uncle Terry is gunning for me to go to University of Iowa because, of course, that’s where he went. tried to answer with a simple “I don’t know,” but they kept pushing. It felt like I was trapped against a wall and they wouldn’t leave until I gave them the answer they wanted to hear. So, I just named the first college that came to my head, NYU, UCLA, or Penn. None of which I want to go to. Finally, they left me alone.
I know how stressful college can be. So, I’m not ready for it to begun just yet. But in the meantime, these emails just keep piling up. t. At least I have people to complain about it with. That makes it a little more bearable. It’s pretty great when I watch someone open their email and hear the obligatory groan as they delete all of the college emails. At least I don’t have to suffer alone.
I know I’ve complained a lot about these letters and emails, but now that I’ve accepted that they aren’t going to stop anytime soon. I have only one request for these colleges: just make them a little more interesting. Put a little humor in them! Maybe then, I’ll actually read them and maybe even want to go to your college. A little personality makes all the difference.
So colleges, one more thing: yes, I got your email, and no, I’m not going to respond.
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