If you’re starting the last year of your degree this fall, you’re probably stressed about next steps, excited to get out of there—or both. With the finish line in sight, it’s easy to get caught up in worrying about marks, grad school applications, and everything else that comes with graduating – but this may be your last year living that student life…or at least that undergrad life! Here’s how to make sure it’s the best year yet:
- Make a bucket list
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Making a list of everything you want to do, see, and accomplish in your last year is a great way to start off the fall semester. This will get you so excited for the year to come, help you focus on the goals you’ve set, and create a list of things to do when you have free time. Re-visit your uni town’s landmarks, go to your favourite coffee shops, plan a road trip, volunteer at that organization you’ve always made excuses not to join. Basically, act like a freshman and remember the things that you were excited about when you first started!
- Get involved
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If there’s a club or organization you’ve always wanted to join or learn more about, now’s the time! No more excuses. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anyone. It doesn’t matter if you may not like it. It matters that you try! This is a great way to meet new people with similar interests too. If you don’t want to go alone, ask a friend to go to an event or club meeting with you the first time. It’s never too late to get involved and it’s always a good idea to step outside of your comfort zone.
- Talk to your professors
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Now that you’ve made it to your last year, chances are your classes have gotten smaller than those first-year courses with hundreds of students in a lecture hall. This is a great opportunity to actually get to know your professors. Make the effort to talk to them, ask them questions, and just be friendly. It’s a great networking opportunity and will, of course, come in handy when you need a reference for grad school or a job. But those motivations aside, you’re surrounded by professors and experts, take advantage and have some meaningful conversations!
- Nourish your body and mind
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There’s been a lot of great conversations about self-care lately in the mainstream media, but there are different kinds of self-care. Sometimes the best way to take care of yourself is not a splurge purchase, a face mask, or buying a plant. But, if you feed your body food that fuels and nourishes you, get a good amount of sleep and exercise when you can (or even just one of these things), you’ll see a difference in your mood and focus. Take care of your body so it can take care of you.
- Use student discounts
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This one’s simple. Just save that 10% while you still can. Even though, let’s be real, you’ll probably keep using that student card after your graduate.
- Take a class that genuinely interests you
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If you’ve satisfied all your mandatory course requirements and have some electives left, it may be tempting to take field-related courses, but don’t forget that this may be your last chance to learn about something that just genuinely interests you in a university setting. Whether it’s art history, criminal psychology, or the history of zombies (ahem, Carleton U), it’s great to take a course that you’re just curious about—if your schedule allows.
- Find your balance
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I know it’s easy to talk about having a super, fun, and stress-free year, but once those due dates come, sometimes you can’t “just say yes”. I get it. This is where your own judgement comes in. Figure out what kind of school-club-work-social life balance works best for you and value that. You know what is best for you and you will be happiest if you follow your body and mind’s cues. Take a break when you need it, have a fun day when you need it, and focus on sleep and nourishment when that’s what you need. Remember that your balance is different than everyone else’s.
Now go out there and have a kickass last year of uni!