What I Know Now As a College Senior

As I begin my final semester of university, I’ve been reflecting on my past experiences, good and bad. I remember the day I got my acceptance like it was yesterday. I remember the nerves as I signed online for my classes for the first time and started immediately panicking, reading every syllabus thoroughly. I made many mistakes during my time in college, but after four years, I found what works and what doesn’t.  

Creating My Schedule

It became evident early on that I didn’t function well in morning classes, yet I kept trying to force myself to take the 8 a.m. classes. Since I wanted to have time to myself after class, I thought that would work best for me. The reality of it was that I would get to class, fight sleep, go home, sleep, and then do homework until late. I kept repeating that process until I accepted that I would do better later in the afternoon. I was motivated to actually work and read for class when the sun went down, and after three rough semesters, I started to accept that I needed to schedule my classes for the afternoon if I wanted not just to survive but to thrive. 

Procrastinating

I used to try to ignore my assignments until the last second, usually resulting in a lower quality of work than I was capable of. I wanted to try to go out, see friends, and spend my time doing anything other than homework. However, that only made things worse for me. I’d stress myself out trying to finish a paper in time for my deadline, hoping I could make my points in a logical way in a limited time. I may have gotten away with it, but how much better could I have been had I done it sooner? I could have finished it and spent my Friday night out with friends instead of rushing through a subpar paper. If you don’t rush through it, you’ll have more time to work on it and ensure your work is what you want it to be. 

Making Friends

My first two years were hard; I didn’t have friends, and there weren’t really any ways to make friends at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt alone most of the time and very disconnected from my peers. I never gained that sense of belonging when it was just me. But after about two years, when everything was fully in person again, I finally started to make friends and meet people within my major and with similar areas of study as me.

Being able to meet people again and take advantage of that helped improve my mental health tremendously. Spending time getting to know people and putting myself in social situations helped me make friends. They encouraged me to try new things, join clubs, and find ways to connect with others. You’ll be glad to have others to share the lows, the highs, and all the in-between moments.  

Don’t Sweat The Small Things

As a perfectionist, I worry about every little detail. I worried about getting everything done within an almost unrealistic timeline for myself. I wanted to finish a paper within so many hours, and if I wasn’t close to finishing, I’d freak out a little. Although that hasn’t changed, I’m learning to accept that I can’t control every situation. I’d love to make sure every detail is exactly as I imagined it, but, like life, things don’t always go the way I expect them to. I’ve learned to let go of every little detail and to enjoy looking at the bigger picture rather than the daffodils in the background. You won’t remember the small details of everything, but you will remember the energy, the work you put in, and the overall goals you achieve. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters.  

While everyone has heard this advice time and time again, there’s a reason for that: it’s always true. Setting yourself up for success immediately helps in the long run, and you’ll thank yourself for doing what you know you need to do. Do what makes you happy and set yourself up for having peace of mind before things get rough.  

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