It may seem too early for an underclassman to start thinking about SAT's, colleges, and such, but I already am.

I know myself, and I know that I can be one of those people who procrastinate until the last minute and stay up until the early morning, trying to finish a project. There's that sick panicky feeling everytime I look at the clock. After every project, I promise myself that I will never do that again, but somehow find myself in the same position a few weeks later.

Therefore, I am going to start really thinking about my GPA, getting involved with school, and looking into some colleges and my plans for the future. I'm hoping that this way, I won't be as stressed as the other seniors, when the time comes.

One easy way that will help in the long run is getting to know my teachers. Teacher recommendations play a big role in applying for those colleges I am thinking about. Sometimes a little sucking up will do no harm. In the winter, I will be sending my teachers hand-written cards for Christmas, to let them know that they matter to me.

Another thing colleges look at is leadership experience. That is actually a problem for me, because I have never been involved in any student council of my school. I know that it will really start counting for college applications in high school, so i have already planned out my school involvement: i will be joining inner council for 9th grade, and possibly running for president or vice president for my sophomore year. I could also run for an ASB position in my sophomore or junior year. It's never too late.

As my band teacher says, teamwork and the ability to work well with others impress colleges such as UCLA as well. An easy way to show that I am cooperative is by being in band. Those who are involved in the arts for all four years of high school get major kudos. I plan on joining marching band and staying in it as long as possible. Yesterday, i went to the informational jazz band meeting during lunch. I will most likely be joining. It feels great to be doing something good for myself and coming out of my shy shell. Not many of my friends are in band, so I had to sacrifice my lunch time gossip for the meeting.

Planning for your future may seem like such a drag, but if you get started early, it won't be too bad.