The two of us are about to enter our very last semester of college. To say that sentence freaks us out is an understatement. Our time in college has flown by, and it’s wild to think that half of it was spent in a pandemic. Yet, challenge after challenge, we persisted. Now we face our final challenge — finishing senior year. Each of us have to complete two senior projects by the time of graduation, as both of us are double majoring in Theater and Journalism + Design. As graduation approaches, we wanted to think through how to make the most of this exciting yet scary time. So, we compiled a few tips that we hope to implement in our final year to keep us grounded, healthy and energized. If you’re about to enter your senior year, see if these tips work for you!
- Start your senior project ASAP
Although it can be daunting, the earlier you start your capstone or thesis, the better. We all know how fast time flies by. Didn’t we just start freshman year like yesterday? And senior work is no different, so why not set yourself up for success? No matter your major, early research, drafts and planning can ease so much of the stress of completing your senior work. The earlier you start, the less scary your deadlines will be! We know procrastination is a good friend of many, but getting a good start on your senior capstone/thesis will allow you to create a meaningful project, while balancing your time more effectively so you can enjoy your final year of college!
- Get involved on campus
Speaking of enjoying your final year of college, make the most of the space and people around you! We’ll be honest; we know finding community at the New School can be a challenge at times, but there are many great opportunities to get involved before you graduate! We have clubs (did you know we have a soccer team? Check out NarwhalNation sometime!), student government and fun events (hey, are you going to New School Prom?)! No matter how ‘cringey’ you may think something is, you’re only in college once, so why not make the most of it? You’ll never know who you’ll meet — a new best friend, a new partner or at the very least you’ll be spending time with someone who is sharing similar experiences of being a New School student — while having some fun too!
- Try not to panic about entering the real world
Perhaps the scariest thing about senior year is that the dreaded ‘real world’ is lurking behind the corner. We’ve always been told to prepare for the real world, yet we’ve been so comfortable moving through life as students. Well, now it’s time to really enter adulthood. This comes with a lot of stress, but we encourage you to relax. It’s important to take care of your mental health. You know what works best for you. Whether it’s something like going for a walk, creating art or talking to a therapist, do what you need to do to nurture yourself. A great way to do this post-graduation is to create some structure and routine in your daily life. Although many of us will be working after graduation, it is important to have places and communities to be a part of. Whether you stay in close contact with your fellow grads or join new communities (take a pottery or exercise class, be a regular at a coffee shop or, even better, find some awesome free spaces to be a part of like parks, community gardens or organization to volunteer with), show up for others, and in turn, you will show up for yourself!
- Network, network, network
Although we encourage savoring the fun of your college experience, it is a good idea to begin learning how to network yourself in order to find a post-grad job. What do we mean by network? Well, we recommend starting by contacting the school’s career services department for some direct assistance while you’re still a student. Seek out ways to update your resumé, LinkedIn page, job interview skills, etc.! Don’t forget to reach out to fellow students, faculty and graduates who have a job in your desired field — college is one of the best places to make connections. Take advantage of that!
- Don’t forget to have fun!
If we’ve learned anything from our first semester of senior year, it’s that it is an incredibly busy time. You’re working on your senior thesis/capstone project, looking at professional jobs, balancing other classes, wondering where you’ll go next…the list of stressful components goes on. But something else we’ve learned is that you must take the time to have some fun. Senior year should not be all work and no play! These will be your last four to five months of your undergrad experience. Cherish them! Spend as much time as you can with your friends, whether that means going out on a Friday night or doing hours of homework together on campus. Take time to explore your campus environment and appreciate it. Again, these four years go by so fast. So enjoy it, and make the most of the time you have!
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed about your senior year, don’t worry you’re not alone! Try to stay present, finish strong and remember to breathe. Whether you’re performing, writing, creating a capstone, looking for a job or just trying to stand on your own two feet, try to make the most of this extraordinary time and remember to have fun. Ask for help if you need it — we’ve got this!