Seniors may act nonchalant, but when the subject of college is brought up, you can sense a bit of fear in them. Now we have an advice column devoted to making college dreams a reality!

Questions run rampant through the minds of the upperclassmen when they start to the think of the future; “Will I stay in a dorm? How will I pay? And what should I do?” The answers to these questions seem years away from many seniors’ grasp. But with the help of Mr. Biener, a guidance counselor at Battle, these questions have answers, and the issues that many seniors have been dealing with college can be addressed.

While many students will transition from Battle to Mizzou, students still want to have their independence and many will be living in dorms on campus, but the thought of living in dorms can be a scary idea. “Living in the dorms is a good opportunity to meet people with similar interests or similar career goals and it can create friends you keep forever,” Mr. Biener says about living in dorms. The benefits of living in a dorm definitely outweigh the negative ideas and thoughts that come with dorms and the issues the dorms cause to some people. By entering into a dorm you have the chance to meet new people that have similar interests to you and you will have the ability to really get to know people, because you will be living with them.

“Make sure you have all of your finances in order; food, fun stuff, classes, and make sure you get a job and have a budget,” said Mr. Biener. He also stated that having his budget somewhat figured out really allowed him to enjoy his college experience. By having an organized budget and possibly a part-time job you will have the ability to know what you can spend, and you might have your own independent bank account away from your parents that, will give you freedom to spend money on what you want, hopefully responsibly.

Scholarships are important to most seniors who worry about how they will pay for college, and Mr. Biener said that his number one regret was not looking harder for scholarships. You can look for scholarships for all sorts of different things and you can qualify for more than one, which will aid in helping you pay for college and enable you to receive higher education without paying off loans for years to come.

College is the first time you will really get a taste of the real world, and real freedom from living at home, and this can be stressful to incoming freshman because there are so many different things you can do, and so many things that you should do as a freshman. By becoming involved on campus and making new friends, you will help to grow your involvement on campus and grow as a person overall. Many college graduates say that their biggest regret from college is not being more involved on campus, and when you become more involved you have the ability to learn more about things that you would not have learned, just by going to class like every other student.

When you think about college, it shouldn’t be a fear you have of the unknown; it should be excitement and joy with the new world and new things that you will get to explore when you get there. My biggest tips to you are to be involved on campus, look for scholarships, and find a roommate and a dorm that fits you because it can change your life. If you feel unsure about college, just know that it’s better to never ask yourself “What if?” Additionally, if you have any other specific questions, your guidance counselor is a useful asset to have near the end of your senior year.