As seniors are wrapping up their early action college applications and descending into early senioritis, the juniors are studying for their SATs and ACTs, thinking ahead to their own applications.

College application season is notoriously stressful and juniors may not know what they are in for; I certainly didn’t. Here are some tips to make this incredibly difficult process a little easier.

Tip number one: get a draft of your essay done fast. After the AP Lang exam, English teachers have you start writing drafts for your main essay. Take this seriously; it is a lot more helpful than you think, especially if you are someone like me, who is away the whole summer at camp with no technology. It makes life a lot easier to have a jumping off point when you start diving into the process.

Tip number two: don’t ask for feedback on your essay from too many people. Everyone has different writing styles and ideas; if you take edits from too many people, your essay is going to lose your voice. It isn’t possible to please everyone, so don’t try; it will make you feel worse.

Tip number three: silly topics make for good essay topics. Write about something that will make you stand out, things that college admissions people haven’t heard before. Small, silly things in your life can connect back to important characteristics of your life.

Tip number four: don’t procrastinate, deadlines come up faster than you think. Make sure you keep track of all the different deadlines you have and manage your time accordingly.

The process is stressful, but once you are done, a big weight is lifted. Remember, you will end up where you need to be.