The holiday season is officially upon us and that means extended family dinners are inevitable.

Whether you have holiday dinners with a select amount of people or are part of a large family gathering, you will at some point see someone that you have not spoken to for a while. When that happens, you will undoubtedly face questions about relationships, school or friends.

However, if you are a college senior, you will receive questions about the most daunting aspect of your life: the future.

1. What are your plans for next year?

Coming to grips with the reality that I’ll never get a good night’s sleep again, mostly.

2. Oh, you’re getting your Master’s? Which schools are you applying to?

Do I look like someone who wants to have this conversation during the rumored “most wonderful time of the year”?

3. Do you have an alternative to getting your Master’s immediately?

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

4. Are you following the news on the tax reform?

If you meant to ask, “Are you thinking about what you will be making 10 years from now and how it will affect you?”, then yes. I’ve kept up.

5. You’re getting your Master’s in journalism? Isn’t that a dying field?

Tell me, who informed you about the tax reform?

6. Where are you going to be living?

Depends what school or job will take me, honestly. Why, are you willing to put me up?

7. What are you studying, again?

The same thing that I told you for the last four years, Denise.

8. What are your friends’ plans after college?

I don’t know; basic survival, a steady income …

9. Isn’t it hard to find a job with a humanities major?

Do you need some sugar cubes for that high horse of yours?

10. It’s your last year, isn’t it? How’s the semester going?

I feel like a chestnut roasting on an open fire.

11. Are any of your friends in relationships?

I’m glad that we’ve both come to the mutual understanding that I’m not in one.

12. Do you have time to watch TV at school?

More than I should with all of my final papers, graduate school applications and general work.

13. Are you ready to graduate?

What a coincidence, I asked my advisor the same question last week.