It's hard to believe it, but when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Day, I will officially enter the year of my college graduation. In just four short months, I will work across the stage and receive my Bachelor's degree, a long time coming for this small town girl with dreams of changing the world.
2019 has been a year I, and I'm sure many other college seniors, have looked forward to for a long time. All of the hard work that we've put into our undergraduate days is about to be over! I'm not typically one to go into a year with the mentality that it WILL be my year, and I'm also not one to make a New Year's resolution. However, with arguably the biggest year of my life so far on the horizon, I know I have to enter 2019 in the right mindset.
2019 college grads, listen up! In order to make 2019 YOUR year, here are sixteen New Year's Resolutions we need to work on.
1. Making Dean's List for our final semester.
Listen, senioritis can be a BITCH. We're only about five classes away from our degree, so we may think this semester will be a walk in the park and we can just sit back and chill. Chill too hard and you won't be graduating in May! Curb senioritis by making it your goal to end college on a high note with Dean's List. Whether it's your first time, eighth time, or anywhere in between, this is a great academic resolution to have.
2. Taking advantage of the free on-campus gym as much as possible.
Ah, the infamous fitness-related resolution. I'm not saying go into 2019 thinking you're going to loose 30 pounds by graduation day or have a full-scale workout routine, but take advantage of the free gym while you have the chance! Even if it's only one day a week, you'll be thankful that you did!
3. Making self-care a priority.
While we want to make our graduation year our best year, there's no denying it's going to be incredibly stressful. Put yourself first, always. Do something every day that is a form of self-care. Whether it's your favorite Starbucks drink, a warm bubble bath, or just an extra few minutes of social media scrolling, give yourself a little extra lovin'.
4. Catching up with as many of our college friends as we possibly can.
I have been lucky enough to have made SO many amazing friends throughout my four years, but I don't talk to many of them nearly as much as I should. I've made it a personal goal of mine to catch up with every friend I've made in college at some point in my final semester. Whether it's just a quick FaceTime or a lunch date, set aside some time to catch up with old friends before they're potentially states away.
5. Apply for as many jobs as we can before we graduate.
Apply, apply, apply! Your dream job is out there - you just have to look for it.
6. Reach out to and thank the professors who shaped us into the soon-to-be graduates we are.
I'm sure there have been a handful of professors who have gone above and beyond and truly made your college experience better. Don't be afraid to reach out and let them know how wonderful they are.
7. Go out more often!
In a few months, you won't be able to go out on a Tuesday or even during the weekends. Gather up your girl gang and hit the bars! This is your last college semester. You deserve to have some fun.
8. But also finally conquer FOMO and be okay with staying in, too.
Some of us (cough, cough, me) are 21 years old and still get FOMO. Make it a 2019 goal to get over that! Sometimes, a night in with some pizza and your favorite Netflix film is so much better than drunkenly dancing at a bar. Trust me.
9. Shoot your shot with the person you're crushing on.
Now is your time. If you've been lowkey crushing on the same person for four years, TELL. THEM. Even if it's just a random meet-cute from the bar or one of your classes, shoot your shot more often. The worst they can say is no, and in a few months you'll never have to see them again. No worries!
10. Go to as many networking events as possible.
Develop these professional connections while you have the chance. You never know how it could help you.
11. Continue to make new friendships.
I made some of my best friends in college this past semester, and I have no intentions of letting the looming fear of graduation slow me down. The more friends, the merrier.
12. Develop a firm understanding of who you are and what you want out of life.
Now is the time to reflect on what you've learned about yourself these past four years and what you want to take moving forward. This may be a deep process, but I promise it will be worth it.
13. Be okay with failure.
You're not going to be offered every job you apply for. There are going to be days where 2019 feels like anything BUT your year. That is going to happen. Be okay with failure, and don't let it define you.
14. Disconnect from your phone for a bit.
Try to limit the amount of time you spend during your final college semester tucked away in your apartment scrolling on your phone. Go out and breathe the fresh air of your campus before you're an alumni.
15. Save up!
Put aside just $5 every paycheck (or more if you can afford it) to have something to fall back on or treat yourself with once you graduate. You'll thank yourself later.
16. Journal.
2019 is going to be a year full of ups, downs, and many life changes. Document it however you can. Maybe your form of journaling can be a daily photo, or you could just write one good thing that happened to you each day. However you decide to do it, don't let this year slip through your fingers without capturing how wonderful it was.
Best of luck, class of 2019!
