With roughly a month left of school, the temptation to disregard schoolwork in favor of fun is growing stronger with each coming week. Just like that last semester of high school, we are told by parents, professors, and even our peers that we need to remain focused lest we ruin all of the hard work we have put in over three and a half years. Back then it was the threat of having our college acceptance rescinded that motivated these reminders. Now the task at hand is maintaining a good GPA for grad school or for that dream job we’re still looking for. Obviously, grad school, work, or whatever the next chapter will be is of great importance, but that’s no reason to stay in on the weekends studying every waking hour.
One of the most important lessons that college teaches us is how to effectively manage our time. If, after over three years of college, you still honestly believe that you don’t have the time for a few drinks with your friends on a Friday night, then you either have a busier schedule than 99% of students, or you haven’t learned how to manage your time effectively. I’m not advocating that we ignore all of our classes and binge drink every day of the week. What I am saying is that this is the time we can afford to take a break from the library to go sing a few songs at karaoke night.
As we get nearer to the end of college, more and more people figure out what they are doing post-graduation. Unlike the transition from high school to college, most of us actually have to be real functioning adults in a few months – and being hungover in class is way more acceptable than it will be at your big corporate job. You’ll have plenty of time to stay in and be sober during this time of your life. Why start earlier than you have to? The way I see it, this is the end cap to the greatest four years of our lives. You maintained a good GPA, you got that internship, and you got accepted to that grad school or job. Now is the time to coast and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Even if you still didn’t accomplish all these things quite yet, no one is that productive after 11:00 pm at the library anyway. Call it a night and join us at the bar. After all, you’ll never remember the nights you stayed in.