In normal circumstances, the transition from junior to senior year of high school can be difficult to navigate. In 2020, COVID-19 has turned this particular phase of adolescent life into even more of a doozy. If you recently finished your junior year of high school, you are not alone in feeling confused and perhaps de-motivated about the future.

Here is where I think I can help. In my current work, I advise students at Falmouth Academy as they apply to college and make post-graduate plans. I love helping them to reflect on their preferences and goals, develop a solid college application strategy and write high-quality materials. This year I will not be able to answer questions or make predictions with as much certainty as I am used to. Still, I am excited to see what we learn—about ourselves, about the state of college admissions in the US—in this uncharted territory.

As a rising senior, you might already know where you are applying to college, despite having some questions about how COVID-19 will affect your applications. On the other hand, you might be wondering if college is the right path for you (next year, or at all). No matter your situation or timeline, today we will work with the question: If you are interested in applying to college, where should you begin?

One of the most common fears that students have upon starting the college process is that they are already “behind.” This year, the normal standardized testing calendar has been blown to smithereens and some colleges are unable to confirm fall application deadlines. These disruptions, understandably, have caused juniors and their families even more feelings of “behind-ness.” I have spoken with parents in recent weeks who have been nagging their kids to do something college application-related, only to realize that they are not sure what their kids can actually do at this time.

One of my all-time favorite books, “Dubliners” by James Joyce, addresses the theme of paralysis. From Joyce’s fictional characters, I have learned that the fear of being already too far behind can paralyze you from making any progress at all. Do not fall into this trap! If your goal is to apply to college in 2020-2021, you are absolutely not behind right now, even by the standards of super-productive people who are really good at planning. There are still ways for you to move forward with the college process this summer and feel good about where you are. You just need to be resourceful and creative.

As a first step, I would recommend starting a journal of your summer. Over the next few months, you might be working hard to care for younger siblings or supplement your family’s income. On the other hand, there is also the possibility that you will have more unstructured time than ever. If this is the case, spend a week or two thinking about exactly how you would like to spend your free time. Then, get right to it!

In recent weeks, many students have asked me for ideas on how to spend their free time since their summer plans have been canceled. I love this question, mostly because I think how you choose to spend your free time speaks volumes about your personality and values. Students and I have talked about using this summer to plant a garden, learn family recipes, read for pleasure, train for a virtual 5K and perform service at the local level. Paying attention to the activities that you gravitate toward—without the external motivation that you normally receive from coaches, parents and teachers—could reveal some important clues about potential college majors or career paths.

Most importantly, I would not worry too much about how your summer activities or commitments will “look” to colleges. While all colleges have different policies, processes and criteria for admission, a clear, consistent message that I have received from colleges of all sizes and selectivity levels is that you will not be disadvantaged if you are limited in what you can pursue this summer. You do not need a flashy internship or an expensive summer course to impress colleges. This has always been true, but I think it’s an especially important reminder in pandemic conditions. Whether you are going to the grocery store for your grandparents or attending a protest, what does matter is that you spend the summer meaningfully and take note of the lessons that you learn along the way.

This is where the journal is essential. Although you may later want to polish your journal entries into an essay for college, don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself just yet. Often, it’s not possible to acquire insight from an experience while you are in the midst of the experience. For now, simply observe and record.

There will be time to address the nitty-gritty aspects of applying to college in the era of COVID-19: test-optional policies, virtual campus visits and more. Until then, enjoy your new position as a senior and make thoughtful decisions about how you would like to spend your summer. You are certainly headed for an unusual college application cycle, but paying close attention to yourself, your family, and your community during this time will give you an excellent start.