We all know what it feels like to be a senior in high school. There’s the excitement of it being your last year, and you’re looking forward to your future journey in college. You probably were counting down the days until you walked across that stage and grabbed your diploma, never to return to that high school hellhole ever again.
Believe it or not, college senioritis is very much the same as high school senioritis. You’ve spent four years at yet another educational institution, and you’re burnt out. Going to classes every day (but let’s be honest, you didn’t go every single day), and probably having a job at the same time wears you out after a while. You can like routines as much as the next guy, but when you’re doing the same thing over and over every single day for what feels like forever, it really isn’t fun anymore.
Maybe you miss your family and are looking forward to time when you get to go home. Or maybe you don’t miss your family because you chose a school too close to home, so you’re looking forward to moving away and actually getting to live on your own. Either way, you’re ready to be done with school to get some time for yourself without always having to worry about studying for a test or writing a research paper.
You’re also probably excited about what will be coming next. Maybe you’re deciding on going to graduate school. You might be considering a gap year before extra schooling, maybe to save up some money or just to get some relaxation before starting yet another 5-8 year long educational journey. Or, you might want to jump right into the workforce, which is fine, too. At least you won’t be in all of that grad school debt.
No matter how excited we are for the end of our undergraduate career, we still have to take the time to reflect on how much college has given us and how much we’ll miss from these last four years (or longer, if that’s you. No judgment here). College has prepared us for what we are about to face in the future.
Being college students has taught us how to study, and how to study well. It has taught us that late nights are a thing, and if we want to sleep then we can’t let ourselves get behind in our work. That will be very useful for our work lives, as well. Being a student has taught us, hopefully, how to manage our time, as well as our money. Maybe we didn’t put that scholarship or loan money to the best use our first few semesters. Surely by now, though, we know how to budget it to where we can at least make it to that next refund check.
Most importantly, though, being a college student gave us our friends. Maybe you were a part of Greek life, or maybe you just bonded with the people in your dorm. Either way, I’m sure you made some pretty amazing friends who you will want to know for the rest of your life. It will be hard when everyone goes their separate ways once graduation comes because this time it’s permanent. People are going to go where they can find a job, and you’ll do the same. It’s rewarding having been able to meet so many people, and you just have to remember to plan phone calls and visits with those who hold a special place in your heart.
So, say what you want about senioritis and being ready to graduate. Trust me, I’m more than ready, too. However, I still plan on appreciating this last semester that I have during my undergraduate career, and especially the people that I will be leaving in just a short amount of time. I’m so excited for my future (not really about the grad school debt, though), but I’m also thankful for all of the amazing memories that I’ve made while trudging through college life.
Photo by Jonathan Daniels on Unsplash