I have somehow found myself in my last semester of undergrad. More than usual, this semester seemed to creep up on me. I attest this mainly to how I felt last semester. I had a rough fall semester consisting of stressing about my future and worrying about my personal life. With these feelings of anxiety overwhelming me, I had little interest in having fun or socializing.
I spent many weekend nights in my apartment alone, something that is not entirely normal for me. When I did go out into the city or spend time with my friends, it was mainly because I forced myself out of my apartment. My emotions felt all consuming, and I had a difficult time enjoying the first few months of the semester. Luckily, through spending time with myself and allowing myself grace, I left for Christmas break in a much better headspace. I was determined to make the most of my last semester in college.
When I came back to school on January 8th, I felt a huge sense of relief. I had spent my break with people I loved and who cared about me. I had recently moved into a new apartment, which in itself felt like a breath of fresh air. I had a plan to start up my summer job up again because my class load was much lighter than years before. My mind was finally clear, and I felt lighter than ever. I plan to move to Europe for graduate school next year, so my life is changing quickly and drastically now. With all of these positive changes, I want to make as many memories as possible in college while I still can.
I am making it my mission to say “yes” each and every time I can this semester. Whether that entails hanging out with new people or going to new places, I want to spend this newfound energy and free time that I have making fun (or funny) memories. When I have free time and enough energy, I want to fill it with memorable moments with everyone I can. So far this semester, I have caught up with people I haven’t talked to extensively in a while, gone to get drinks with friends I haven’t made much social time for before, and explored new restaurants and cafes downtown.
In order to have the energy and make time for new people and experiences, my mindset and routine had to shift slightly. Firstly, because I started my job again, I will be making money throughout the semester. The money will come back. Therefore, I won’t feel guilty for having a spontaneous day in the city or buying a round of drinks for my friends. Secondly, I recently got accepted into my first graduate school, so I feel lighter in the sense that I have direction for next year and can spend more time enjoying myself rather than stressing about my future. Thirdly, I might never see some of these people in my school again. For better or worse, life gets in the way, and I may not see a good amount of the people I know now after I graduate. I want to spend time with them while I can and enjoy the company of these people now.
I don’t know what the rest of this semester will hold, but my hopes are high and my energy is cleared. With less than four months left of being an undergraduate student at Catholic University, it is genuinely now or never in regards to making college memories. I am looking forward to making the most of D.C., the new people I will meet, the nights I will have, and the final months of school. I’m saying “yes” wherever I can, and I’m excited to see what awaits me on the other side of it.