Senior year is starting to end for the class of 2026, and conversations are shifting to ones about college. Many seniors are feeling pressure to decide their futures after high school. Although there is an unrealistic expectation to have a linear plan right after graduation, this does not accurately reflect the many different paths students can take to figure out the rest of their lives. 

Valedictorian Saloni Mittal is very involved in Kinnelon. Through being a captain on the volleyball team, founding the Ability Awareness Club, and taking on many other leadership roles in school, she “realized that her choices had direction and impact.” Although Mittal has an impressive resume, she urges others to listen to their passions and interests to find the right career for them. Instead of planning out every detail, Mittal simply focused on doing what she loved.

As she prepares to attend the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Mittal explains that although she may look put together, she still feels pressure.

Although Mittal knows she wants a career at the intersection of social impact, business, and education, she, like many other students, still doesn’t have her perfect roadmap. “I feel confident in the direction, but there’s still uncertainty in how that plays out,” she said. 

Senior athlete Madison Gigante also feels stuck trying to figure out her path, but instead faces more pressure from the expectation to be “successful”. Gigante originally wanted to attend college to become a teacher, but she “got talked out of it after having a concern about financial stability.” This led her to discover her true passion for criminology, and now Gigante will be attending Pennsylvania State University with plans to become a lawyer. She has developed an interest in crime investigations and forensic studies through her classes and interests, such as Netflix documentaries. 

Although she has picked her major, she still feels overwhelmed at how much she still doesn’t know. “I still question what job I’m going to want later on in life,” Gigante said. 

Additionally, she contends with outside opinions, which she says impact how she presents herself to others. “Some people don’t think I’m as smart as I really am,” Gigante said. 

Executive board president Samantha Ferretti is also involved in many leadership activities, like working at a children’s summer camp and coaching recreational cheer. These experiences inspired her passion for working with kids, and she will be attending the University of Michigan with plans to become a teacher. 

Ferretti also faces criticism from outside opinions. “It’s a lot of pressure when people always make negative comments about becoming a teacher,” she said. 

All three perspectives prove that the expectation to have life fully determined as barely an adult is nearly impossible since interests change and new opportunities come into play. Even the most confident-appearing students are dealing with the stress of college.  As graduation approaches, it’s important to remember to keep moving forward even if all the answers haven’t been revealed yet. In the end, the most important skill isn’t necessarily being able to create a plan, but being willing to navigate uncertainty along the way.