Hey Emersonians! I hope everyone’s first month of school is off to a great start and you’re all enjoying classes and beautiful Boston! I miss it!
I thought about saving this post for May when it might seem more relevant, but for all of the juniors and seniors out there trying to decide when you’ll actually be graduating based on your credits, this is about the time you’ll be needing this advice. I was in your shoes last year and it was a really confusing and stressful time. I had to make the decision to either stay for another semester (meaning I would be there taking classes along with you RIGHT NOW) or graduate this past summer— which, obviously, is what I decided to do. But that’s not necessarily the right decision for everyone, and I think it’s good for you to have all the facts.
Let me give you a little bit of my background: I transferred to Emerson as a junior and it wasn’t my second school, but my third. Needless to say, my parents had already spent a lot of money and a lot of their time moving me in and out of schools, so in weighing my options, I definitely took them into account. By graduating in the summer, I saved them a bunch of money with the half-price classes and four less months of rent and utilities.
I also got to walk in May with the Class of 2011, which was really important to me. I got to cherish my last (official) semester with my friends who were also leaving and got to celebrate with them in our caps and gowns as we became, dare I say it, adults. Sharing that time with all of my friends, both from Emerson and from home, helped me feel much less alone and scared about all the changes that come in those final months. It was definitely comforting to know that even though there were more than a few bumps in the road getting there, I still made it to where I was supposed to be in one piece, and ON TIME!
There were, however, things that I lost— more time at Emerson, for one. One last semester of writing for em Magazine, one last beautiful fall and bitter cold Boston winter, and four more months of taking advantage of all that both Emerson and Boston have to offer me. Lastly I lost a little more time of just being a student where, although I thought I had a lot on my plate, my biggest worry was an exam or a term paper— not what I was going to do for the rest of my life.
Spending the summer in Boston, though, was worth it. I was only taking one class per summer session and interning three days a week, so I got to enjoy my down time sipping iced coffee at outdoor cafes, exploring different areas of the city, and taking trips to Wonderland beach.
I won’t make your decision for you, but here are my final thoughts: If you end up staying the extra semester, take advantage of everything you possibly can! And consider still stay for the summer in between, because a summer in Boston is unlike any other. And if you stay only for the summer to finish up, make sure you have air conditioning!
Talk to you soon!
xoxo Caitlin