You don’t want to believe everyone when they say how quickly your college years fly by. But it’s true; one minute you’re a freshman starting your first year of college, then you blink and it’s your senior year. Stressing about where I’ll end up after graduation and never-ending questions from family and friends asking if I have landed a job yet is not what I had planned for. But instead of focusing on what’s to come, I’m determined to stay focused on what I can do now to make sure that my last year here is one I’ll never forget. Here is my guide on how I plan to master my senior year.
Get into a “senior year mindset.”
Knowing that some of the best years of your life will soon come to an end can feel daunting and create a negative mindset. It’s easy to overthink what your life post-graduation entails and all the big decisions you have to make. My biggest piece of advice would be to focus on what you can be doing right now to enjoy your time as a senior. You need to get into a “senior year mindset.” This mindset can vary from person to person, but for me, it consists of three key things:
- Just say “yes.”
As an underclassman, I had the worst case of FOMO. As a result, I rarely let myself miss out on any opportunity. It was because of this that by the time junior year came around, I was burnt out and started skipping out on a lot of things. I know how easy it is to let yourself fall into this trap, but I’m telling you now is the time to escape! Looking back at all those times I missed out on, I wish I had just said “yes.” There is no better time than senior year to get into this habit!
- Create a bucket list and goals.
I know we can all relate to having some sort of list or ideas that we thought about doing while at school but never took the initiative to do them. Well, newsflash, time’s running out! It’s time to do ALL the things. So make a bucket list — it can be just for you or for a group of friends. Write down all those things you always talked about doing and do them! You won’t regret it, but you will regret NOT doing them. Be sure to set some personal goals for yourself, too! Whether they are personal goals or career goals, don’t forget to use this precious time to work on you!
- Take advantage of everything.
It’s easy to forget that, after graduation, we will lose all the opportunities and resources that the school provides for us. Everything from gym access to career fairs won’t be around anymore for us to take advantage of. The university has resources to help you succeed after graduation, so go to that networking night and join that club you’ve been thinking about! Make sure you get your money’s worth during your last year. Just remember everything the school has to offer, you’re already paying for!
Use a calendar.
Having such an open mindset can lead to some very busy weeks, so using a calendar has been a lifesaver for me. Using a calendar can be as simple as just putting in your weekly school schedule, extracurriculars and events. However, to truly master your senior year, you should take it to the next level. To avoid missing out on fun school events like football, soccer and hockey games, make sure to add those in too! I never expect to attend every single event, but having them on my calendar makes me a lot more likely to go. Sometimes I’ll even add in time to just chill or do something fun, which helps you avoid getting burnt out. My roommates and I have a lot of fun traditions that we like to uphold, but with such busy schedules, it can be hard to find a time when we can all hang out at once. Using a calendar shows us when we have free time to still have our cherished “roomie nights.”
Give yourself a break.
One thing that’s easy to forget when conquering your senior year is to give yourself a break when you need it. Being so determined and strict about how you want your last year to play out makes you forget about the many curveballs that college life will throw your way: the unplanned wine nights with my roommates, last-minute decisions to play in an intramural game or every time my groupmates left me hanging to finish a group project. These curveballs come out of nowhere and will likely mess up your original plans or goals which is okay! These things are bound to happen, so don’t let them push you off track. So, if that late movie night leads to you snoozing through your early gym session, just give yourself a break and get back on your senior year grind!
Now that you have the tools to master your senior year, what are you waiting for? The clock’s ticking — good luck!