The school year is back in full swing, and holy crap, it’s my last year! Even though school’s been back in session for a month, the reality that I’m a senior is just now setting in. With it comes the senioritis – and the nostalgia. I know there’s still seven months until graduation, but I’m already dreading how many “lasts” this year will hold. I’ve had so many new experiences and grown so much as a person in my last three years in Iowa City. There are still so many things left to do! So to make sure I do it all, I made a list of things every Hawkeye senior (including me) should do before you walk across that stage at graduation.
1. Cry during your last home game because you realize it’s the last time you’ll be in Kinnick as a student.
This one is honestly right around the corner, and I’m not ready.
2. Assuming you’re 21 by now, become a regular at Brother’s Mug Club on Thursdays.
It’s honestly the best way to drink on a budget in Iowa City.
3. Answer the question, “So what are your plans after graduation?” so many times at family functions that you want to cry.
It’s especially stressful if your answer is “I don’t know.”
4. Fill out your degree application.
There’s a section for you to write how to pronounce your name so you don’t have to be embarrassed in front of thousands of people on commencement day. It’s also important because this is where you list the address for them to send your diploma to.
5. Check your degree audit a gazillion times to make sure you’ve taken all the classes you need to for your major(s).
Plan ahead, people. Nothing would be worse than getting to the end of your last semester and realizing you forgot one class.
6. Battle senioritis on the reg.
As much as I wish for school to be done sometimes, I know I’m going to miss this place when it’s actually over.
7. Take a 1000-level class as an elective and realize these classes are definitely built for freshmen.
I’m in an intro class now and holy crap, I didn’t realize how much “tougher” professors get as you get into higher-level courses. As a senior, it makes the slow pace of an intro class feel boring.
8. Have a mental breakdown (or twenty) about what you’re going to do after graduation.
It can be terrifying to have no idea where you’re going to be a year from now, both figuratively and literally. Who knows where in the world that first big-girl job will take you!
9. Bawl your eyes out when you leave your friends.
This will easily be the hardest part for me. Life is inevitably going to pull you in opposite directions, but true friendship knows no distance.
10. Take cute photo on the Pentacrest in your cap and gown.
Last but not least, this is a rite of passage you just can’t skip out on. The Old Capitol Building is a symbol for our campus. In the future, these photos will be perfect for reminiscing about the four years you spent walking past the iconic building everyday on your way to class.
Once you’ve checked off all these things, you’re ready to cross the stage and receive your extremely overpriced piece of paper – I mean, degree. To all my fellow seniors out there: good luck in your last few semesters as a Hawkeye! Remember to enjoy every last bit of it – ready or not, the real world is right around the corner!