With summer coming to an end and the school year starting again, many graduating students, including myself, have found ourselves trying to find any answers we can get on how to navigate our futures outside of the classroom. Society places so much pressure on the graduating class surrounding the idea of having your life figured out right when you graduate. However, I have noticed that feeling a little lost about your future while still navigating your now is completely normal. Graduation marks the path you and your peers have followed for years. School has always given us a roadmap, and once you graduate, that structure tends to disappear. Feeling lost is not a sign of failure, but rather an eye-opener to the new stage of life you are entering, where exploration, mistakes, and redirection are all signs of building your future. I know firsthand how stressful thinking about how different your life will look a year from now is, so I am going to share with you some suggestions I have been incorporating into my life that help me stay rooted in my goals while slowing down and enjoying life.Â
I believe that a huge factor that plays into having a sane senior year is accepting that these last semesters of school are more about who you are becoming than just what comes after. A mindset that I have noticed that sends students into a spiral is the “I need the perfect job lined up” outlook. When you begin to recognize that success can also mean peace, balance, or meaningful connections, you can begin to enjoy the journey, not just the outcome.Â
Something that has helped me learn to enjoy the journey is practicing gratitude daily. Gratitude has grounded me and shifted my focus to the journey instead of chasing what is next. I have begun to express appreciation to everyone who has been by my side throughout my college experience. Whether that is by verbally acknowledging their influence on my life or reflecting on my favorite memories with them. I have noticed that not only have these people impacted my life forever, but I have also done the same to them. The friendships I have made are a blessing and allow me to recognize how far I have come.Â
Senior year is beginning to feel like a countdown, “last exams”, “last events”, etc. Instead of mourning the end, I have started to savor those “lasts” as celebrations. I am known as my friend group’s shutterbug because I take countless photos and videos of everything we do together. Not many people are the photographer type so another way to enjoy the last year of school is to have an outlet to express your feelings as you navigate your last year. One outlet I resort to often is journaling. Instead of letting senior year blur together, journaling has helped me slow down and record details of my life that I can later look back on and relive the joy instead of solely missing it. Journaling can also help a student worried about their future reframe their life into a reflection. What did I learn? How did I grow? What moments of my life defined this chapter? Reflection brings closure in a positive way and can help you redefine what success looks like in your eyes.Â
Graduation and the future will come in the blink of an eye, intentionally slowing down and savoring senior year traditions is another way I have began to focus on the present. To shift the focus from the end goal to the experiences along the way, I am trying to become fully present in moments shared with friends. Putting my phone down during hangouts, taking more campus walks, or even late nights with friends are all ordinary moments that end up being everlasting memories. Some of the best memories come from unexpected adventures. Saying yes to last minute froyo runs or random trips can help ground you in moments of stress and creates a greater adaptability to the inevitability of life’s changes.Â
As I am stepping into this final year, I am realizing that none of us are meant to have everything figured out and that is ok. What matters most is who we are becoming each and every day. To my fellow graduating class, do not let the pressure of the future steal the joy of the present. Celebrate the small victories, hold your friends close, and take in the little moments that will one day mean the most. The future will unfold in its own time but this year, our last year here together, is worth savoring to the fullest extent.