By Maya Gomez

Editor in Chief

With college decisions rapidly approaching, high school seniors are carrying more weight on their shoulders than ever before. In this time of immense uncertainty, it is crucial that students support peers’ post high school plans, and refrain from expressing opinions on such topics. 

Picture this: after waiting five excruciatingly long months, you finally hear back from a local school – whether it be an independent university, California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), or California Community College. You’ve been accepted! However, as soon as you mention your plan to your friends, they immediately remark “So what, are you going to stay here forever?” I don’t care how well versed you are in world travel; it is not your place to critique someone’s decision to stay in state, especially given the various factors that determine a college commitment. 

Additionally, if I hear one more person respond “UC’s are better” when someone announces that they plan to attend a CSU, and vice versa, I will lose it. This kind of statement is in no way helpful, especially when the opinion is not solicited. 

On the flip side, imagine that you finally receive the news that you’ve been accepted to your dream school, which happens to be outside of California, whether it be an Ivy League or simply an Out-of-State institution. You’re ecstatic, and have been waiting to move out of state for years. Yet, upon telling your friends, you’re met with discouragement and unhelpful comments; “Wow, I can’t wait for you to leave me behind!” “You just had to choose a college across the country, didn’t you?” “Could you be going any further away?” Sound familiar? As someone who has committed to an out-of-state school, it sure does to me. These could come off as simple jokes, but to be honest, it’s rude, and invalidates the hard work put into making such a difficult decision.

Even if these comments are not intended to criticize a student’s choice, they do nonetheless. I understand that a loved one moving far away is difficult, but it is important to understand that their college decision is not intended to hurt you — and frankly, has nothing to do with you. 

The point of poking fun at someone and making small remarks may not be to judge, but students must recognize that they are both unhelpful and hurtful in the long run. The 2022-2023 school year is quickly drawing to a close, so now is the time to step back and acknowledge that we cannot determine the college experiences of other students, so why try to?