1.You constantly tell yourself
I think I said this every day last term and continue to do so in second term. After complaining about deadlines, last-minute essays and looming exams you always assure yourself and your friends that everything will be fine. Because it will be, you’ll get the essay done, you’ll graduate, you’ll get a job.
2. Having 0 motivation to start your dissertation
Depending on when your dissertation is due, you will probably lack motivation to actually start it. I’d advise planning your ideas and prepare for your diss over summer, especially if you don’t have many plans, otherwise your left to start everything on top of all of your third year modules when you arrive back at uni. You lack motivation to start or continue your diss because it’s overwhelming just how much you have to do for it. You’re so used to be being set specific essay questions, but this time you have to gather research, understand how to analyse the data and actually writ up the 10 000(+) piece.
3. Applying to jobs
On top of trying to balance your different modules, dissertation, sports, gaining experience, budgeting, cooking and social life – you have to begin applying to jobs. Applications can be never-ending and soul-destroying. Often with graduate schemes you don’t simply send in CV, but have to take part in various numerical and aptitude tests, because thousands of students are applying to the same role as you, with similar experience. It’s simply to rule people out earlier on before interview stages.
4. Being rejected from jobs
And a lot of the time – you will be rejected. Whether it be at the first stage of sending in your CV, after submitting test results, after taking part in an online interview or even after attending an assessment centre in the final stages. That’s okay. The sheer volume of students with the same experience, skills and degree as you is overwhelming, remember that. Stand out, keep going and don’t be put off by rejections. You’ll get the right job eventually.
5. You go out drinking more than freshers do
This varies from uni to uni, but, at Lancaster, my third year friends and I feel we go out more than our freshers do. Maybe because we want to make the most of our final year of freedom. Maybe because it relieves a lot of stress. Or maybe we’re just a complete mess.
6. You’re in denial that you will be entering the adult world very soon
You don’t want to be reminded you’ll be graduating in July. You don’t want to be told to start acting more responsible. You don’t want to become a fully-fledged adult. It’s scary, it’s not just like turning seventeen and being able to learn to drive or turning eighteen and finally being able to drink legally – you have to make decisions that will affect the rest of your life. Where are you going to live? What kind of job are you going to have? Who will you live with? It’s frightening, but it will happen at some point, but for now it’s best to avoid thinking about it.
7. But you know, at the end of the day, you’ll get through it
Even if you get some bad grades, experience job application rejections, get too drunk or become overstressed – at the end of the day you know it will all work out. If you don’t do well in an essay, you know you can redeem yourself in your Summer exam. If you don’t get a specific job you thought was right for you, it just wasn’t for you. And, if you’re stressed, you’re being challenged and that’s what third year is all about.