You mean to tell me, just like that… four years have already come and gone? It feels like just yesterday I was getting ready to move in for my freshman year at Siena. I knew time would go fast, but these past four years have felt like the blink of an eye. With graduation being a month away there’s a lot to be thinking about; going back to school, getting a job, and more. Here’s a deep dive into my thoughts not only about graduating, but about my past for years at Siena.
When I first got to Siena, I was excited to be away from home and start living an adult lifestyle where I could do what I wanted, and be away from my family. Freshman year feels so far away from now, being that I graduate in less than a month. In some ways I feel like I’ve been at Siena for longer than 4 years, but in some ways it still feels like I haven’t been here for very long at all. To think that graduation is a month away seems surreal, but before I know it I’ll be walking across the stage in May.
College graduation is something exciting (and scary) for everyone! It means taking a lot of new steps, facing new challenges, and finding out what to do with your degree. My first thought when realizing that I’m less than a month away from being done with my undergraduate degree is “What’s next?” For the past few months I’ve been working hard at finding a job and looking into places I’d want to work at. I’ve narrowed down my search and am hoping to have something solidified by the time I graduate, even though this might not be guaranteed I can try and prepare myself by looking into places I’d want to work!
Thinking about being done with another chapter of my life scares me. I can always go back for more schooling and get another degree, but it will never quite be the same experience as the past four years have been. I’m excited to see what the real world can offer me now that I have my degree, and what type of job I’ll get as well as how successful I’ll be over the next few years. The bittersweet feeling of almost being done with school and not wanting to leave this place I’ve learned to call home is hard to wrap into words.
If I could give any advice to freshmen in college, or seniors in high school who are getting ready to leave for college in the fall, it would be this; savor every moment. Do the things you love, but also try things you might be scared of. Make as many memories as you can with the friends you make and take advantage of every opportunity your college or university gives you.