Asheville Seniors Face Life Choices Amid Helene Recovery

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, high school seniors in Asheville, North Carolina, are facing immense pressure as they navigate significant life decisions, including college applications. The hurricane disrupted their education for weeks, leading to concerns about submitting timely scholarship applications. Students like Max Schantz have resorted to using libraries for Wi-Fi access to complete their essays. Despite challenges, local schools have organized in-person assistance sessions to help students cope with admissions processes during this critical time. The situation is exacerbated for students who have been impacted not only by the hurricane but also by the stresses encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senior Caroline Barton expressed that many of her peers feel the pressure of applying to colleges compounded by the chaos of the storm. Many students, including those at independent schools, feel unprepared and overwhelmed, further complicating their high school experience. Hurricane Helene has both physically and emotionally affected the town and its residents, illustrating the emotional toll on those who had hoped for a stable final year. College admissions officers have shown some leniency towards students on account of the hurricane’s impact, but the uncertainty remains daunting. Overall, this period is a pivotal moment for these students, marking a transition from high school to adulthood, fraught with challenges. As they confront the aftermath of disaster and the looming decisions ahead, their high school experience dramatically diverges from the norm, leaving many feeling unsettled about the future.