This past week has marked my final first day of class for my undergraduate years. It is so crazy to say out loud that my time in college is just about over. I can remember my first days on campus like it was just last week, except today marks these moments’ three-year anniversary. Now that I have arrived at the final stretch of college, I also need to remind myself that it is not completely over just yet. Follow along to hear some of my internal advice to make the most of my final semester of college.
Enjoy the busy schedule
Every year when school starts back up, it feels like my calendar immediately becomes full and overwhelming. Juggling two jobs, extracurriculars, classes, law school applications and the future, can be a lot. But it is important to remind yourself that you will never live this type of way again, and to enjoy the craziness of it all. Only in college will you work a three-hour shift at your on-campus job, and then find yourself laying out on the quad before your afternoon class. I can’t say that my schedule in the years to come will consist of anything like this, so even when it is hard, think of the little things that bring you joy during the long days!
Something else that has helped me stay positive so far this semester and in previous busy semesters is remembering why I go to the University of Illinois. I chose to go to a school with rigorous academics and amazing opportunities because of my future goals, and my schedule, even if it is crazy, has assisted me in pursuing these ambitions.
Say Yes to the little things
To add on to my previous conversation about college being a different lifestyle then you will experience in the future, I have taken on the mindset to say yes! If my friends ask me to join them for an impromptu night out or to watch the sun rise at 5 a.m., I will say yes. In previous years, I have always made decisions based on feeling a bit tired or not in the mood, but, of course within reason, I hope to be far more adventurous this time around. There is no time like the present to be spontaneous, especially in your last semester of college.
Take more pictures
I could send you a thousand photos from documenting my college experience, but so many of them don’t show my actual experience. This year, I want to ensure I am able to hold onto pieces of the precious times with my friends. Who cares about the picture of my rug I used in my sophomore year apartment? I want to see the charcuterie board and cakes my friends and I made to celebrate a self-proclaimed holiday, or the photo booth strip from my friend’s birthday party. That being said, it is important to remember not to live through the camera. The photo isn’t the memory, it is simply a piece of it that you can hold onto forever.
This week marks the beginning of the end of my undergraduate journey, and these are just a few ideas of many that I plan to implement to make my final semester the best one yet.