Going into my last year of high school, I was excited to finally embrace those High School Musical moments, where my fellow seniors and I would constantly break out in song and dance because we had no worries! I looked forward to finishing all my homework at a reasonable hour and then proceed to get 12 hours of sleep every night. I couldn’t wait to feel carefree and invincible.

Yeah…none of that ever happened. While there were a few moments here and there where I felt all happy and tingly inside, these moments were sparse and were often followed by lengthy moments full of extreme angst. While past graduates assured me that this would be “The Best Year Ever,” it was anything but, and the stress levels I experienced this year triumph junior year’s in all respects. It seemed like nothing was going right while everything was simultaneously coming to an end, and it scared me. Here are some senior year myths that I had the horrifying pleasure of debunking on my own:

1. Senior Year is easy

Unless you’re taking minimal classes, aren’t involved in any extracurriculars, and don’t mind having to constantly write about yourself in college essays, you’ll be fine. However, if you’ve piled on a bunch of AP classes and leadership positions, this year won’t be easy. If anything the added stress of not only applying to colleges but waiting to find out the admissions decision is stressful in itself, but add that as a supplement to your dooming calculus homework and research paper, and it feels almost impossible at times.

2. Good grades+involvement+free glasses from dream school=Guaranteed acceptance!!!

Hah, no. The sad reality is that sometimes, despite our best efforts and successes, the colleges we love so much simply refuse to reciprocate. While it seems like it’s the world’s cruel way of telling us that we are inadequate and should accept cardboard boxes as our future residences, life moves on. In many cases, the entire admissions process has become a sort of industry, with prospective students and their pay checks being the victims in the process. So for future seniors and college applicants; don’t measure your self-worth based on the number of acceptance, rejection, and deferral letters. In our society, money and connections sometimes speak louder than true merit.

3. Seniority is a good enough justification for procrastination

This is what your parents and teachers have nagged you about from the start; it only gets worse senior year, so break the habit now. Seriously.

4. Go to Prom without a date? You might as well not go!

While it seemed like at one point everyone was scrambling for a Prom date, lowering standards and morals along the way(just kidding about the latter…kinda), it turns out that going stag can be just (if not more) fun. Without the date you don’t have to hold yourself accountable to anyone and can dance the night away with your friends.

To the future seniors, I wish you the best of luck. For my fellow graduates/survivors, keep it re13al.