Five things to do in your last year of university
University. Three (or more) years of the most stressful, thrilling, and memorable experiences you will have in your entire life. But coming to the end, we all get that nervous voice in the back of our minds – have we done everything? Have we seized every opportunity university has offered? The end seems so soon! But fear not. There are many ways to make sure your final year of university is set in stone, and that even after slaving over a dissertation and final projects, you can come out with a smile.
1. Create a yearbook.
This might seem like something that would’ve been much more affective at the beginning of university, but it is never too late to start one! I started mine literally a couple of months before ending, and found it meant I only crammed in the things that meant the most to me, and that the people who meant the most to me where the ones that signed it. Now that I was in my final year, I knew who I wanted to remember, who I’d shared the best times with. And there was a much wider variety of ridiculous photos to choose from.
2. Get involved
Too often people say “oh, we had that at uni but I never used it”, and they really wish they did. Even if it’s something as simple as the campus gym, or something as quirky as the bee society – if there’s something you’ve had your eye on, but you’ve felt that you’re too busy to do it, do it anyway. Even if you can’t commit fully, you’ll never have that regret that you never experienced something – and it could really expand your horizons, helping you when you leave university!
3. Become a tourist
Wherever you are, there’s a good chance you won’t be going back there again – or that you’ll be there for a long time. Either way, this town and these people will not be the same forever. You’ve probably passed a little café thousands of times that you and your bestie have vowed to go into one day, or know of a really beautiful place that you’ve always wanted to discover but haven’t found the time. But if you don’t find that time, now, you’ll never have that time again – and you’ll be missing out on something you wouldn’t have somewhere else!
4. Do your work
Sounds kinda obvious, doesn’t it? But we’ve all heard stories of people cramming their work into a fortnight of barely any sleep spent living in the library. With a dissertation, that just won’t cut it. Don’t get me wrong, you’re bound to have a few late night library sessions – but the less of those you and your friends have to do, the more you can spend huddled in a blanket fort or going out and pretending to be freshers again (which you will most certainly regret the next day. And the day after. Ugh.)
5. Don’t be scared
You are going to graduate, and finish your degree, and move away from a lot of your friends. It is inevitable. But people have done it before you, and others before them, and they’re all fine. The people who mean the most to you will stay in contact, and those who don’t are people you don’t really need around, anyway. It’s better to not waste time worrying about what is going to happen, anyway – enjoy your time, now. Later on, it’s not going to be the random people, or the mountains of work that you remember – it’ll be the friends you’ve made, and the amazing times you’ve had with them. So for now, focus on the present – and make sure you end these amazing years you’ve had with each other in style, loud music, and lots of laughter.
Good luck!