It’s been a really confusing year.
To answer the question: What year are you? (The solution: mumble my situation and then run away.)
I decided to graduate a year early October of my sophomore year. My parents said “go for it?” My advisor thought I was insane. My dean worried for my mental health. My best friend laughed and said he’d try to figure out a way to graduate early too.
I came to ND with only 3 credits from AP tests (I got a 1 on my AP Bio test because of studying) so I didn’t even think graduating early was possible. Then I got super close and intimate with my Graduation Progress System and realized it totally was possible!
If I overloaded and took 21 credits for three semesters and took summer classes.
And maybe it was the drugs I was on (*ahem* eating 10 gummy worms from the candy wall) but I was like “Yes. Doing this. All the credits. Give them to me. My masochist tendencies have been preparing me for this moment since that time I drank three cans of Pepsi in a row.”
And I did it.
Or, wait, okay, there’s like 2 weeks left and finals so I might be jinxing myself. So…to be safe, I’m still in the processing of doing that. (Hopefully not in the same way I’m in the “process” of throwing out those shoes I’ve had for a year and a half.)
It’s been a weird year. But a really cool year. Here’s some advice from someone who is graduating a year early but who also still misspells the word “definitely” like, every time.
1. If you want to graduate early, do it.
It can be hard. And a lot of work if you were like me and slept through AP tests. And lonely sometimes because you’re in this limbo between classes. You don’t really feel like you have a right to cry with the other seniors but you still want your moments of nostalgia. But if you want to, do it. You save a LOT of money and you get to stop writing 15 page papers. You might feel unconventional as shit and it might make you a little nervous that you’re not doing college “right.”
But see next number.
2. Don’t worry about doing college “right.”
My brother went here and graduated last year and I was convinced that he did college “right.” Partied a lot. Loved going to games. Slacked off in class but still did annoyingly well. Got a job at the end of his junior year.
And then I came here and was all like “Party? No, sorry, rehearsal then film shoot then rewriting a draft for this play I’m working on then maybe getting drunk while watching my friends play a drinking game to backgammon.” And then I was like “Lol, leaving early to go start being a starving artist, bye.”
We were very different. And we both had really awesome and fun college experiences. Do what you want.
3. Do NOT think of college as the best four years of your life.
They can be the best four years of your life so far. They can be crazy, kickass times that you loved. But I don’t think people should be, like, 40 and still think the best time of their lives was so far behind them. Your life can always be crazy and kickass. I know I’m not the first person to say this, but I AM the most beautiful person to say this.
4. Appreciate college.
I know it’s weird coming from me, but graduating a year early has forced me to appreciate this time a lot more. And I’m grateful for that. Don’t wait until your last year to take a moment and think about how much you like staying up to 4AM on a Tuesday with your friends eating Cheetos and writing an incoherent philo paper.
5. Do what you want.
Do what you want. Just make sure it makes YOU happy. Be unconventional. Be annoying in your class when you have a lot of things to say. Leave the dorm party early if it’s just not fun. Skip the football game if it’s too f*ckin’ cold.
Do what you want.