As someone currently in the final semester of their senior year, I feel like I have almost enough authority to give advice on some things you may want to do before your final semester of college. I don’t have any indication of how my life will be six months from now, and I don’t have much hindsight to offer either. Only the immense apprehension in my heart informs this list of things I personally feel you may want to do before it’s your last semester of college.
Consider (even just briefly) what you would like to do in the future
This can either be what you’d like to be doing immediately after college or what you would like to see yourself doing as a long term career. It’s helpful to have any idea, no matter how vague.
Use the Kenyon Career Network and the Career Development Office
If you’re still looking for job/career ideas, reach out to past graduates in your major and ask about their current or past jobs or why they chose the career path they pursued.
If you have more of an idea about your future, reach out to people in different fields you may be interested in to see what steps you could start taking now to help you.
The KCN and the CDO can be really good resources for internships after your sophomore and junior year as well.
Decide whether or not you want to go to graduate school right after graduating from Kenyon
You can always decide to go to grad school later, but most of the application deadlines to start grad school the fall after commencement have already passed by spring semester senior year, so you’ll want to start the application process early.
Go to Office Hours
This is very basic advice, but going to your professors’ office hours are endlessly helpful. Going to office hours can, of course, help improve your work and understanding for class. However, getting to know your professors can help you throughout your Kenyon career and after. Professors can offer great advice (and sometimes connections within certain fields). And, if you need letters of recommendation, a professor who actually knows you is likely to write a much more detailed letter than a professor you’ve barely talked to.
Have a resume and cover letter draft
If you haven’t already, it’s useful at any point in your college career to make a resume. You can get help from the CDO directly, or use their website to create a resume; just try to update it periodically and tweak it for certain jobs.
Participate around campus
Try to join at least one of the various campus organizations that has always interested you, that you’ve just been too afraid or busy to commit to. It’s easy to overcommit here, but it’s just as easy to continuously say “I’’ll join next semester when I’m less busy” until suddenly it’s your last semester.
Make time for your friends
It’s easy to fill up your time with work and various activities around campus, and, at times, being overbooked is unavoidable. However, it’s important that you actively try to make some time for the people you really care about. Sometimes spending lunch together is enough, but other times it’s important to let people know you’re still there. It can be really hard to free up enough time for everyone, but you’re certainly not going to end up with even less responsibilities your last semester.
Capture moments with friends
Take plenty of pictures before the last semester. Even if you aren’t dressed up or doing anything special you can take cute pictures and videos of each other throughout your first few years here. You can look back on these as seniors or cover your room with actual printed photos you’ve taken with each other.
If you have a bucket list, do not wait until this semester to do it.
I’m hopeful senior week allows for plenty of time for bucket-list type activities, but at this rate, the window of opportunity is certainly closing fast.
Consider your relationships
I’m not suggesting you commit to anyone you may be vaguely involved with at any point or that you push them to do so. But I am telling you that you may want to actively consider what you may want for your future with or without a specific person and maybe even communicate your feelings and concerns with each other before you’re both about to leave in six months.
If something feels undeniably right then go for it, but if you have any hesitation at all, you can wait. The right people always find their way into your life (supposedly).
Just because you’re graduating without a partner does not mean you will never find love after Kenyon. You have the potential to do great things, including, but not limited to, falling in love after Kenyon. Do not settle because you’re afraid of being alone.
This list is comprised of things I both did and did not do before my final semester senior year. Herein this list lies my regrets, my achievements, and some things I still struggle with to this day. I hope it proves of some use to you.