So all your friends are upperclassmen. It doesn’t exactly matter how this situation occurred but what does matter is that nearly all of them are more than a year above you. If this is happening to you, we’re in very similar situations. With the exception of about a handful of people, most of my friends are juniors while I am a freshman. While that doesn’t seem so bad now, as the end of the school year rolls around, it brings with it the realization of their coming departure.
I’ve only had these friends for about a year but that doesn’t mean they aren’t closer than family at this point. They are the people who helped me through my first few college stress break down. They gave me the information I missed when I couldn’t make floor meetings. And I don’t know how I would have survived without them explaining to me all the small nuances of campus life and tradition.
When I think about them leaving, I find myself at a loss. I know we will still have the ability to stay in contact. That’s the miracle of modern technology after all. But suddenly not seeing someone who has been there every day will be a huge change. While it’s still a year off for me, I know there are plenty of people facing this problem at this year winds to a close.
Though there will be sadness in the future, it’s also important to focus on the now. Make memories with your friends that will last and define your future. Throw a wild party, watching movies until the sun comes up. Also, don’t forget that they will want to see you as well. Keep bugging them to come visit you on campus whenever they have the chance. Invite them to campus events. Constantly steal their hats so they have to keep coming back to retrieve them. Okay, maybe don’t do that last one. Or maybe do. It depends on the friendship.
It’s also good to remember the fact that as old friends move out, new friends can move in. Seniors graduate, and after they leave a new batch of freshmen roll in to take their spots. That’s right, it will be your turn to adopt a freshman. You’ve made many gains in experience and knowledge. You can finally move up from being the baby of the group to become the full-time mom friend.
The most important thing to remember is that graduation is not the end of friendships. High school graduation didn’t mean the end of those friendships, so why should college graduation be any different? You can stay in contact and hang out whenever. If you have a car, use it. Or public transportation. There will be tears, of course, there always are when things come to an end, but everything has to move forward. In the meantime, there are other things to make you worry, such as finals or your own upcoming graduation. Won’t that be a fun time?