Being a college senior is no joke, things are getting pretty serious. Now is the time to sort of get your life together and start to make executive decisions that help pave the way for your future, whether it’s graduate school, a career, or anything else. Being a college senior is basically a high school senior on steroids, and with that amount of responsibility, there come some struggles.

1) Answering this question: “Have you decided what you’re doing once you’ve graduated?”

Honestly, the answer is something along the lines of sort-of-not-really. Most of the time, we’re just trying to get through the day without falling asleep in class, let alone what we’re doing at the end of the year. There is a sense of what direction you want to head in, however. If you want to work, go for it! Is graduate school an option? Cool! The important thing to remember is that whatever you choose to do is the right thing for you at that moment.

2) Speaking of graduation, walking across the stage

Graduation day is the most important day of your life (until something bigger happens). There are so many things that can be beautiful about that day, but also that could go wrong. What if your outfit doesn’t look as nice the day of? What if they pronounce your name wrong? What if you fall!? RELAX. Things will work out for the better. Your family and friends will be there, anxiously waiting for the 30 seconds that you’ll be on stage. There will be pictures and tears and hugs galore, and you’ll realize that everything you’ve worked for in the last four years has been completely worth it.

3) Senior Seminar

If you’re lucky enough to go to an institution where you don’t need to write a paper that took you the entire semester to finish and a presentation in order to graduate, you are one incredibly lucky soul. Senior Seminar is basically a class where you pick a research topic that relation to your major and you essentially write the biggest report you’ve ever written. Between citing sources, researching, writing literature reviews, and making sure your writing format is correct can completely drain you of all the energy you have. The presentation that follows is even more intense with all the professors in your major (along with anyone else that wants to watch) all watching you present what seems to be your life’s work. But no biggie, you nailed it AND you looked good!

4) Keeping motivation

Motivation is something that has seemed to wear thinner and thinner throughout the years. There’s always that feeling of running on fumes, and you’re about to sputter and break down on the highway. Once you start doing work, you can get into a groove and get what you need to do done, but getting to that point is so hard! I’d rather be looking at cute videos of pug puppies.

5) Moving on

Once everything is said in done, it sort of feels like you’re in a panic. When there are no more tests or papers or assignments, you feel a little empty inside. It’s time to leave the nest, the place you’ve called home for the past four years. The place that has seen you at your worst, but has also seen you at your best. The place that has taught you life lessons you’ll never forget. It’ll always hold a special place in your heart, along with the people who have helped you along the way.