The Nightmare Before New Years | Aimee Han

‘Twas not long ago, when a young girl struggled immensely to write her online. Headlines after headlines she scrolled, desperately wishing that the luck of the universe would be on her side and inspiration would strike. Yet waiting for such luck should be considered naive, and this girl felt quite deceived. She waited and waited, from dawn to dusk, yet no idea had ever had the courage to arrive. And so here she writes, with the hopes of the idea coming in sight … here the idea arrives!

Rejoiced, the girl is relieved to be reminded of the upcoming Halloween, yet the relief becomes a sight unseen. It is almost as if such cherished feelings are immediately extinguished like the blowing out of birthday candles as if they have relinquished. Spooky season may end on All Hallow Eve’s midnight, but for high school seniors, it has extended itself for another season contrary to our delight, like how shows like Riverdale manage to survive without much reason. Us high school seniors are in the midst of the college application process, balancing the many subprocesses, essentially rendering our majority as sudden fine actors of exemplifying maturity. Yet the grooves of my wrinkled brain hope that with such distress comes success. But I need not ignore the concept of the college application process; thoughts of those words are more hauntingly terrifying than all of the Halloween horrors that can torture.

Spooky season may not cease its existence on November 1st this coming year, but in a lighthearted spirit, we can consider the early applications to have disappeared. Yet the prospect of Thanksgiving aligns with the ever so dreaded UC application deadline. And young girls like this one may have already prepared their Christmas nighttime attire from the well-founded and renowned Targét, but we must reconsider many upcoming events. Despite holiday spirit roaming the air, where charity and romance are much amplified, the desperation of such seniors to simultaneously attain perfect university essays and maintain borderline grades are exemplified. With such chaotic nature, the emergence of anxiety and terror are major.

But what could we do with such emotions?

Although the season is inevitable, we must perceive the potential of rejection as something unquestionable. Yet the fate of success is something we all be blessed with at one point or another, meaning it is rather meaningless to continue to stress.

And we must recall that change is scary but there is little point in being wary because one of these days, this burden will be buried.

In the end, we must have hope, and widen our scope because this certainly isn’t the end of all things of this spooky trope. We must recall that one of these coveted days, this season will no longer make us feel fazed. Because after New Years we will have defeated the great villain (college applications) and emerge into a society where this experience has been ridden and we can consider ourselves and our self-worth as if we are one in a million. With less feelings of isolation, I sincerely desire that your heart will finally feel much elation. One of these days, a university out there will exhibit their feelings of admiration (for you).

Have a safe Halloween Ravens, and just remember, spooky season may be extending its grasp this year, but our happy endings are near!