In this final week of my final fall semester, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on my collegiate life. Mostly questions of if I’m happy with where I am in life, if I made my mark on my university, how I’ve been effected by my professors, advisers, and administration, if I feel like I’ve made the friends of a lifetime. All of which I can answer in a positive manner, and I’m grateful for that. Despite that, why am I so incredibly sad to graduate in six short months?
Moving into your final semester as a senior feels a lot like swimming upstream. I’ve been unbelievably lucky to have had such a positive experience during my college years. I know many do not, but I definitely consider myself one of the lucky ones. It is bittersweet to be moving into my final semester. I do not want to leave my friends, my faculty, or my routine. I’ve ingrained these patterns and people into my life for the past four years, how could I be comfortable leaving it?
Moving into your final semester as a senior feels exciting. Excitement for the future, your future. Excitement for your life to start, excitement for your future career, excitement for your life experience, excitement for your mistakes (as crazy as that sounds). Excitement to change the world. It feels a lot like waiting to burst out of the gate.
Moving into your final semester as a senior feels nerve-wracking. It feels a lot like preparing to jump into a pool of cold water. While it may be exciting to think of your future career and all the potential you have, it is also terrifying. No matter where you look, job applications are asking for “at least one year experience,” or “master’s degree required,” but someone will take a chance on you and you will succeed. I start an internship in January and I’m so excited to get this experience in before I enter the work force. Hopefully, this internship will help guide me to what I want to do for the rest of my life. As I move into my final semester, I still don’t know what I want to do with my life and that’s nerve-wracking, but it’s also alright.
Moving into your final semester feels refreshing. All of your hard work is about to pay off. You are about to become one of the 30% of the U.S. population that earns a bachelor’s degree. 30%. You are a star. The knowledge you gain in preparation for graduation is invaluable. No one can ever take your education away, and that should feel empowering. It feels a lot like taking a breath of fresh air.