With a little over a month left of summer, our minds are filled with "what ifs" as senior year is quickly approaching. It's the lasts for a lot of people that make you sad: the last first day of classes for people not planning to go to grad school, the last time you'll set up your dorm room or apartment before fall semester, the last time you'll eat endless dining food whenever you want, the last time you'll sit in the library for hours procrastinating with your best pals, and the last time you'll sit up late at night drinking wine and binge-watching your favorite Netflix series.
Next May, we will be turning our tassels and tossing our caps. The real world is going to be right in front of us before we know it. Whether you want it to happen or not, your new reality after college is going to bring a whole lot of changes. Life after college is unpredictable, which seems scary and exciting. Here are a few of the constant questions that run through every senior's head on a daily basis:
1. How did I get here?
How did I grow up so fast? It feels like just yesterday, I was latched onto my parents' legs not wanting to go to preschool and now I'm chomping at the bit to get away to school. When I was younger, I always thought about college being so distant and far away, but it got here quicker than I could ever imagine. I have a lot of people to be thankful for that have given me the opportunity to get to the point of graduating in two semesters. My family, teachers, coaches, and friends have always supported me in everything. They have instilled the essence of hard work and dedication in all that I venture out to do in life.
2. Am I ready to be a "real adult?"
Is anyone ever really ready? We all like to think we have been adults since we turned 18. We like to do a lot of things on our own, but most of the time, our parents are there if we ever find ourselves in need. You do your own laundry and you pay for a lot of your own stuff, but mom and dad are probably still paying your phone bill and health insurance. The idea of paying my own bills and possibly paying for my own apartment makes my stomach churn. It also causes my anxiety level to shoot through the roof.
3. Where is life going to take me?
Where will I work? I may not have it all figured out yet, but we are all destined to do great things. I hope life takes me on many adventures all over the world with the people I love. I hope I find a job that I'm passionate about. I hope my life's purpose allows me to help others. Wherever life takes me, I hope it brings me happiness. There is going to be moments that test my strength, but I must keep in mind that God never gives you anything you can't handle. It's always important to stay humble and kind no matter how successful you become.
4. Will I ever not be stressed?
Stress is basically my middle name. If you're anything like me, you'll always find something to stress about. Just when you think your life is stressful enough with all that college entails, the real world hits you. The things you've been worrying about for the past four years are pretty meaningless when you think about it. Just like I said before, life is unpredictable and a lot of the times out of your control. So stressing about those things isn't going to make matters any better. Life is never going to be worry free, but it's up to you to find ways to distress every once in awhile.
5. Can I stay in college forever?
Where has the time gone? Wasn't it the start of freshman year just yesterday? This is something every college student says at least once a year. You'll find yourself saying it even more leading up to senior year. For the past three years, it has felt like a race to make it to summer. But now, you realize that it's going to be over in a blink of an eye. College has brought all sorts of emotions, but you wouldn't change any experience you've had for the world.
6. Will my friends forget about me?
This is the question that haunts us all. More often times than not, you don't hang out with your old high school friends as much as you would like to. Everyone is off doing their own things, and that's wonderful. But, sometimes you find yourself reminiscing on old times and how much you miss that person. Luckily, college has also blessed you with extraordinary people you've become really close with. A lot of the times, these are the people who become "your person." These are the friendships you say will last a lifetime. You predict that they will be there when you get your first job to celebrate. They will also be by your side when you get married and they will be there when you have your first kid. Through thick and thin, you'll always have each other's backs. But then, in the back of your mind, you also have this nagging feeling that this "best friend for life" notion could possibly disappear in the blink of an eye. You'll graduate and lose contact with the ones you thought you'd never lose touch with. Make it habit to remind yourself of this notion. True friends will never go away. People that were once strangers are now a part of an inseparable bond that is set to last the test of time.
7. Should I be scared of not getting hired?
Will you find a job? Yes. Will it be your dream job right off the bat? Probably not. Just like so many other college seniors, we must continue to reiterate this to ourselves. A dream job right out of college is truly a commodity. We can't get discouraged when we don't find a job that we are the most passionate about right after graduation. It takes time and steps to find the one. You are about to endure your final year of school where you have worked your butt off for four years to get a degree. Your hard work is going to pay off. There is no need to stress because things will fall into place.
8. How has college transformed me?
We all arrive at college as naive teenagers and graduate as mature adults. But, along the way, we all take our own little journeys. Hopefully, you've learned a lot in the classroom about much more than just facts and statistics. Hopefully, you've learned about all walks of life. Hopefully, you have made mistakes allowing you to learn valuable lessons. Hopefully, you've experienced heartache and now know you're stronger than meets the eye. Hopefully, you've learned to love every inch of yourself that makes you unique. Hopefully, you've learned what it means to truly live.
