All right graduating seniors, if this is your last semester then you are probably at the same state of mind as me -- mush. We've given college our all (or at least tried) for the past four, five or six (maybe more, that's fine) years of our lives and now that we can say we are this close to getting that degree, we feel as though it's just time to quit. We are exhausted, mentally and physically, and we can't think of anything more we want than the freedom from those b-s assignments that our professors keep assigning. Here are some thoughts that you are probably having on a regular basis if you're graduating at the end of this semester.
1. What am I going to do with my life?
Well if you've already been offered and accepted a full-time job then you might as well quit reading cause this article is for those of us who don't have our crap together (just kidding you can still probably relate to this). Our friends, family and even random strangers will not stop asking "so what are your plans after graduation?" and it is getting more frustrating than ever because we are literally less than two months out and you truly don't know. What you want to respond with is "well I just plan on mooching off my parents and laying around until someone thinks I'm good enough to at least give me a shot." Well, we can't really say that because we want everyone to think we are actually deserving of this diploma.
2. Are these people actually about to give me a diploma and let me out into the real world?
While we are all mature and actually grown adults now, we've hit this point where we are so deliriously tired that we act like children. Trying to take full advantage of these last few moments we can to completely act a fool without someone seriously questioning what's wrong with us. I constantly find myself doing things and then looking at my friend or saying to myself, "am I seriously about to graduate because I don't know why they're letting me do this."
3. Where did all the time go?
It seriously feels like I started this whole college journey just last week and it definitely feels like I started my last semester yesterday, but here we are, just finishing up midterms and wondering where in the world the time went.
4. Can these professors stop taking over my life with pointless work that has absolutely nothing to do with my life?
I don't know about y'all but I got stuck taking some random electives this semester and honestly they are more demanding and time-consuming than my senior capstone! How is that even possible? I am literally less than two months away from being a full-blown adult with no excuses, how about we learn about taxes, budgeting and things that I really need some help with before being thrown to the wolves. Nope, I'm stuck doing book reports and group projects.
5. Is it too late to drop out now?
Obviously, I have put too much time, effort and money into this whole college thing to give up now when I can literally taste the freedom - but man I am ready to not have to deal with parking, or finding a place to sit in the coffee shop or tests ever again.
6. Where do I even start with applying to jobs?
Back in the day when I was trying to get part time jobs, I never really stressed because it was easy. But hello, we are literally talking about our careers here, the start of the rest of our lives. Where do I even begin?! I have no clue. It's on my to-do list every day to work on my resume and apply for at least one job. Guess how far I've actually gotten? Yeah, nowhere. Needless to say, I'm starting to freak out.
7. What am I going to do when my parents cut me off?
Some of us have been completely, 100 percent, independent for years now and I seriously pride those of you who fall into that category; and some of us have had a little help from our parents while in college to help pay for the big things so we can truly focus on graduating. Well, the time has come and graduation is creeping up behind us, we have to start thinking what we are going to do when the parents cut us off and we are on our own? Here are just some things we will have to start paying for that are giving me a panic attack every time I think about them - our cell phone bill (goodness, I am screwed), doctors visits and insurance (guess I'll just be sick), car repairs (I'd rather walk), everything else we want (guess my shopping addiction is going to come to a cold turkey quit). We truly don't realize how good we have it until this point when we start looking at our bank account and realizing that we have a collective $20.
8. Why didn't I drag this out longer?
Well, I am graduating early and everyone always questioned me and asked me why, in my right mind, would I purposefully graduate college early. I am now asking myself the same question. Why did I not make this last longer?
Well, graduates, here is to keeping our sanity these last two months, finding jobs so we don't have to go the alternative route, and making everyone else around us proud (and surprised). We've made it this far, I think we can fake it till we make it just a little bit longer. Congrats, we did it (almost, hopefully)!