As a graduating college senior, going into your final semester is like waking up one morning and feeling the shock wave throughout your body. The reality that the days until graduation are decreasing rapidly sets in and it’s accompanied by anxiety. I’m here to tell you that if you are feeling this, you are not alone.
All of my college years were spent doing everything I was supposed to, including having an internship or job every semester, taking the extra step on class assignments to make sure they were nearly perfect, and networking with everyone I could. Yet somehow, the feelings of uncertainty are overtaking everything else.
There is excitement, of course. Most people have spent four years working toward the moment of walking across the stage and receiving the diploma. It’s a major accomplishment that should be celebrated to the fullest extent. For the first time in our lives, we will have full control over where we go and what we do. But, the overwhelming fear of the unknown is normal, we all feel it.
The questions start to seem endless. What if I don’t find a job right away with the way the market is? What if I didn’t do something correctly? What if I won’t be happy? At least, those are the things going through my head.
On the other hand, there is nostalgia. I’ve started reminiscing about things like friendships I’ve made, things I’ve accomplished, and people who have helped me along the way. The idea of having to leave this behind — especially when it has become so familiar — and stepping into a brand new chapter where I will truly be starting my adult life is bittersweet to say the least.
We cannot forget the senioritis. It is very real, and we all feel it. There is a piece of me that wants to fast-forward to graduation day. Between balancing job applications, completing final projects, and wanting to enjoy every moment with my college friends, it has become a surprisingly great mix of exciting and exhausting.
Despite having all of these emotions, we need to remember that feeling uncertain is completely normal. Take it from someone who did everything that everyone told her to do — no one has it all figured out, even if it may look like they do. This is a time of incredible growth in our careers, and while it is a daunting time, we have to remember to allow ourselves to be excited about the growth to come.
To all my fellow college seniors who are also feeling like they are on this emotional roller coaster, let us try to embrace it. The fear, the excitement, the nostalgia, and even the senioritis. These are all things we are feeling because we worked hard and made it this far. Remember, while graduation is the end of one chapter, a new one gets to start, and it will be everything we make it.