1. Doing Everything Just One Last Time
“Oh my gosh, it’s my last October 3rd of being at UNC!” This is pretty much a daily occurrence. Whether it’s your last drink from the Old well, your final Late Night With Roy, or even the last night of your undergraduate career, all seniors seem to comment on every single aspect of senior year being the end of the world. You even get “This is my last time I will turn in an undergraduate paper!” In this case though, it is usually said with a big smile instead of tears rolling down someone’s face. The lasts of senior year are certainly a struggle that all of us go through during our last moments at our second home, UNC.
2. Saying Goodbye To Your College Family
Through all of the crazy nights, the heart wrenching break-ups, the laughing fits, the all-nighters, and some of life’s major milestones, these people have been with you through it all. It’s sad to think you won’t be able to walk down the hall to see countless familiar faces whenever you want, and it’s even sadder to think that many of us will be on opposite sides of the country after graduation. Whether your college buddies have become your best friends, your workout partners, your significant others, or just your people (Grey’s Anatomy Reference…anyone?), the hardest part about graduation is holding back all of the tears from saying goodbye to all of the beautiful friendships you have made along the way.
3. Figuring Out The Real World
This is probably the worst part about graduation…facing reality. Instead of doing homework on your own time, you have to start working 40+ hours per week. Not about that life. Even more difficult is figuring out what you want to spend those hours doing. Who actually knows what they want to do for the next 50 years of their lives? Pretty much no one, let’s be honest. From endless job applications to balancing interviews with extracurriculars, senior year suddenly seems so much busier than the previous few years! This part is tough, but hopefully you will find a full-time job that makes you as happy as the past years in Tar Heel Nation.
4. Becoming Financially Independent
No one looks forward to this part. It’s time to start paying bills, paying off student debt, and even more importantly, it’s time to begin actually using that savings account you created four years ago. What a concept! There’s no more asking mom and dad to cover your medical expenses, your car payments, or even your food. This will be tough for everyone, no doubt, but it’s also a necessary part of adulthood. Just think of the pay-off, the feeling of being financially independent. Okay…maybe it won’t be that great at first, but let’s just go with it!
5. Food Access Struggles
Remember all of those times you tried to cook in the dorm and failed miserably? Yeah, get used to that for a while because it’s time to start taking care of yourself. You will have to actually get used to this foreign concept known as grocery shopping. So weird, right? Don’t worry though, because sooner than you know it, you will be a cooking pro! Maybe we won’t go that far, but you will definitely be able to survive off of your cooking and improve over time. Plus, now you don’t have to worry about the dining hall not having anything decent each night because you’re in control of your meals! Just think of it as a new, fun adventure!
Though there are sad aspects of your last year of college, cherish these last moments because they will probably be some of the best of your life!