The anxiety of what to do after high school has been a ticking time bomb on our brains ever since we entered. We chose our schedules, extracurricular activities and hobbies based on how we want our futures to turn out. 

Once senior year hit, we had to double down and work ten times harder than we’ve had our entire high school career. If your old ACT or SAT scores were too low for your dream college, you had to study and retake them. If your financial aid won’t cover college expenses, you have to search for loans, apply for scholarships and write essays until your fingers burn. It feels like a never-ending roller coaster and, on top of it all, you still have to pass the 12th grade to graduate.

Then the hardest part comes: picking a college to attend. This is one of the most stressful experiences in high school—and possibly in life, given how much it can impact your future. There are plenty of factors to take into account: cost, location, student body, etc, which is why the decision is usually put off for so long. And even after considering every aspect and selecting a college, you might still be unsure if you made the right call.

“I selected San Francisco over a school in Mildred and that was really difficult, because I feel like I could’ve got a really good experience out of the country so sometimes I think ‘what if I chose Mildred instead?’” Xeta O’Hara, senior, said. “But I think I made the right choice.”

O’Hara isn’t alone. Knowing that there are so many things you can look at to find the perfect college can make the decision strenuous, but here are some tips to make the process easier.

First, find out if the college you’re considering has an excellent program for your major and if it comes with many hands-on opportunities. 

Second, schedule a campus tour to determine if it’s a good fit; sometimes only looking at a college’s website won’t do it any justice. Third, avoid comparing your decision to others; not everyone’s dream college will be the same. 

And last, picture your future there and how the transition will be. Remember that it isn’t final. You can always transfer if you end up unhappy. 

But most importantly, trust yourself to make the right decision. Don’t doubt yourself. You know what will make you happy.