December 2024

Happy December! Another Thanksgiving has passed, another round of enjoying old traditions and building new ones as my children get older. I hope your Thanksgiving was restful and gave you a chance to reflect on gratitude.

But ironically, this time of year can make it hard to feel that sense of gratitude. High school seniors are finishing up college applications and anxiously awaiting news. Family gatherings often bring joy, but they can also highlight personal struggles, economic challenges, and logistical headaches.

As much as this time of year can be difficult to enjoy, our happiness—both in the short and long term—depends on gratitude. It’s easy to focus on what's not going right, but if you’re struggling, it helps to find things that are going well by starting small. Notice something seemingly small that you’re grateful for. Begin with your own body—I’m so grateful for my eyesight, and as I get older I’m also grateful for glasses that help me maintain it. Then move outward to your friends and family: surely there’s something about them that is worth recognizing and being thankful for.

For those of us who aren’t struggling as much, it's important to actively express that gratitude. Say “thank you” a little more often, find small-but-thoughtful gifts, and look for opportunities to help others.

My next newsletter will be in a new year. College apps will largely be out, and a new cycle with current juniors will pick up. May the year finish strong for you. I’m grateful to my family for allowing me to do this, to my clients and their families for trusting me with something so important, and to Apply with Sanity readers for their attention and feedback.

May the year end on a high note for you and yours!

—Benjamin

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Three Quick Questions:

The full Three Quick Questions archive. Whether or not you’re going to work with a consultant for college admission (you probably don’t need to), how would you answer these questions? How would you explain yourself to another person? What questions do you think I should ask that I don’t?