Somehow, we’ve made it to the final month of the school year. Maybe you’re thrilled, maybe you’re panicking, maybe you’re wondering how the past few months disappeared. Either way, this is the last stretch before summer break or maybe even graduation. So, how do you finish strong without completely burning out? How do you make sure you don’t look back with regret? Here’s your game plan for squeezing the most out of these last few weeks at UF.
1. Lock in Academically (But Don’t Lose Your Mind)
Yes, finals are coming, but cramming at Lib West until 3 a.m. every night is not the move. Instead of panicking, take a step back and figure out a strategy. Look at your syllabi and be honest with yourself: which classes need your full effort, and which ones are already in the bag? Prioritize accordingly. If you haven’t already, start using resources like Study Edge or Smokin’ Notes and find a study spot that isn’t completely overrun. Marston gets packed, so try Norman Hall, the architecture library or even Pascal’s Coffeehouse for a change of scenery. And please, take breaks. Go for a walk, grab coffee with a friend or just step outside and breathe for a second. A burned-out brain won’t do you any favors, and trust me, you’ll perform better if you give yourself some space to reset.
2. Romanticize the Little Moments
You won’t remember every quiz, discussion post or crammed study session, but you will remember the random Tuesday night spent getting midnight food at Relish, the way campus smells after a spring rain or the laughter from a spontaneous pool day at your friend’s apartment. These little moments are what college is actually about. Slow down. Walk a different route to class, sit on a bench in Plaza of the Americas and people-watch, take pictures of the places you’ve walked past a hundred times without noticing. The next few weeks are going to fly by, and before you know it, you’ll be reminiscing about them. Make sure you’re actually present enough to enjoy them while they’re happening.
3. Say Yes More (Within Reason)
That club event you’ve ignored all semester? Go. A friend’s invite to the springs? Say yes. A night out? Come on; it’s the last month of school. The last few weeks are your chance to finally do all the things you kept putting off because you were “too busy.” Sure, you still have responsibilities, but if someone asks you to go to the springs for a day trip or to a random themed party, and there’s no real reason to say no, you should go. You’re not going to look back fondly on the nights you stayed in doing nothing, but you will remember the times you let yourself have fun and be spontaneous. Balance is key, but don’t let yourself miss out on memories just because you’re stuck on autopilot.
4. Handle the Boring Adult Stuff Now
This is the part no one wants to deal with, but trust me, doing it early will save you from last-minute panic. Check ONE.UF for holds, return your library books, make sure your financial aid is for next semester and settle any unpaid parking tickets before they somehow turn into a bigger issue (because they always do). If you’re moving out, start packing the stuff you don’t use now instead of waiting until the night before. If you don’t have a summer job or internship lined up yet, start sending out emails because you don’t want to be scrambling in May when everyone else already has something set. The more you handle now, the less you’ll have to stress about when you should be enjoying your summer.
6. Actually Say Goodbye
This part sneaks up on you. One day, everything is normal, and the next, people are packing up and leaving for the summer or forever. You don’t want to realize too late that you never got a proper goodbye with someone who meant a lot to you. Write a note to your favorite professor if they made an impact on you. Get one last meal with your best friends, even if it’s just a quick coffee run. Take an intentional walk across campus, soaking it all in one last time. College is weird because nothing ever really stays the same: people graduate, people transfer, people move on. Give yourself the chance to appreciate what you have right now before it changes.All in all, the last month of school isn’t just about grades or getting through it. It’s also about soaking it in. Do what you need to do academically, but don’t forget to enjoy the people, the places and the weird little moments that make college, well, college.