I can honestly say this will be the toughest finals week for me being that I have severe senioritis. I’m sure that most seniors are having a variety of emotions at the moment, but one thing is for sure, finals won’t be fun. With 18 days until graduation it seems almost impossible to focus. How do our professors believe that after 8 months of procrastination, EPIC excuses, last minute write-ups and made up tragic incidents, that seniors will be ready and able to take our exams just moments away from our freedom. The race to the finish will be even harder as we reminisce on the fastest 4 years of our lives.
Adele couldn’t have said it any better, “Regrets and mistakes, are memories made,” and if there’s one truth I’ve known throughout my collegiate years, it’s that! College years are truly the best years, it’s when you find yourself, and although you’ll probably make a lot of dumb decisions and even regret a few, they’re still memories. They are still moments that you will remember for a lifetime; moments that you will learn from and moments that will help you grow. So that crazy night from your sophomore year that didn’t end so well is something you can look at now and tilt your head back and laugh. So what if you felt like you made a fool of yourself, so what if your mom wouldn’t approve. You’re in the driver seat of your life and there’s nowhere else you should be. Live for you!
I think what makes graduation season so emotional is leaving your friends. Yeah, you’re excited to move on to the next chapter in your life, but that also means that you won’t be able to wake up and see your best friend each morning. Or spend hours in the Pryz talking about the events of your Thirsty Thursday night on Friday morning. And maybe it even means that you’ll be thousands of miles apart, but distance ain’t nothing but a chicken wanng. I’ve experienced this first hand being that my left hip (aka my best friend) and I were separated for 4 months while I was abroad, but it just strengthened our bond, if that was even possible. Take as many friends as you can into your next chapter. Send random texts, set ups dates and vacations, keep in touch. Even if you don’t talk everyday, don’t let the time and separation change your relationship.
My senior editor gave me great advice that I feel changed my perspective on graduating, “It’s okay not to have a plan.” The most frequent/ dreaded question that a college senior gets asked is, “so what’s next?” and although that used to make me anxious, now I’m at peace with it. Not knowing what you want to do after graduation is okay. We just ended the season of finding yourself and now it’s time to let that person shine through as you’re figuring out what to do next. Stay true to yourself! So you’re graduating and realize that you don’t want to work in the field of your major, try something new! Find post-grad internships, test out new things, and take risks! I think some college students want to have their life set; their corner office and penthouse loft two years after graduating, but this is just the beginning. This is the first step towards fulfilling your dream, learn to enjoy the ride.