As a year of college ends, we begin to reflect on everything that we have done and dedicated our passion to, and we think about having to leave all the people we have met who now feel like family. The end of the semester is the definition of bittersweet. One on hand, you are super upset about having to leave behind your best college friends, but on the other hand, you miss your family and friends from home like crazy.
Trying to decide how you feel about school ending is confusing, and on top of that, the stress of final essays, projects, and exams is on the horizon. You are trying to navigate moving all of your stuff out of the dorms, deciding when to book a flight home, and studying a ridiculous amount of information all at the same time. I get it, and I want you to know you’re not alone.
Everyone deals with these confusing emotions in their own way, which is totally fine! If you don’t know where to start, however, then maybe my advice will help you. The first way I deal with complex emotions at the end of the year is by taking advantage of all the time that I do have left with my college friends. I try to be efficient with my schoolwork, to make sure I have some free time on the weekends to go explore the city with my friends.
I believe that spending time with the people you will miss over the summer is a great way to remind yourself that you don’t have to be sad yet, because you are still able to see them, and the school year hasn’t finished yet. It’s no use spending more time being sad than you need to, because you haven’t left yet. Make plans for a movie night or a dinner with your college friends, and reminisce on the highs and lows of the year. Laughing and talking with the people you love will make you feel better!
Another way to feel better about the school year ending is to focus on the exciting things you get to do with your family and friends at home over the summer. That way, you won’t just be sad about leaving your college people, you’ll also be looking forward to some things during summer. Reach out to your family and home friends and plan a day trip to the beach or into a city, to ensure that there are some happy aspects about leaving college.
While it may not seem important, I think the key to feeling less overwhelmed about the semester ending is trying to stay organized and break up your big responsibilities into multiple days. For example, put all of your stuff into boxes to move out over the course of a few days, instead of leaving it until the day before your flight, which will definitely add to your stress. Also try to split up projects, essays, and studying into multiple days. Even if you just outline your work one day and do it the next, you will feel better than doing it all at once.