Being a second-semester senior is one of the most bittersweet feelings in the world. You've come to the end of a long, exhausting journey of sometimes painful coursework that is supposed to prepare you for what's next. For some students, the stress is on when it comes to finding a "job." There are five reasons scary reasons that explain why I am afraid to graduate:
1. The 8-5 job you will inevitably start after graduation
Remember those dreaded 8 AM classes you avoided the past 4 years? Yeah, it's happening. Up at 6, to work by 8. You can only hope that you land your dream job. Otherwise, the pain of mornings (sometimes without coffee) will be real and unavoidable.
2. Debt, debt, and more debt.
Surprise! The time has come. Your student loan payments are going to start pouring in, and they will have no mercy. We really should have listened when the nice financial aid advisers came to us at orientation and encouraged paying on loans during our undergraduate careers. Oops.
3. Winter and summer breaks
Unless you are planning to become a teacher, say good-bye to summer vacations. During college, breaks were what we thrived on to get us through the weeks. As a graduate with an out-of-college job, it is reasonable to expect very little vacation time and the sick days we all took when we didn't feel like going to class.
4. Separation from your bestie
This one is arguably the worst. You've come close to your best friend. She's like a mom (yes, Kate. I'm talking about you here) and you pretty much need him/her to function. Hopefully, if you're close enough to that college bestie, you'll stay in touch and still positively enable each other throughout life.
5. Graduation itself
You hadn't really thought about graduation much until now. You're probably going to cry a river and be in ultimate denial for like a week (or so past graduates have said). But most important, remember that you made it. You put in the time and you know the material. Take the time to thank the professors that inspired you, and always use them as resources in the future. Graduating does not bar you from communication with your professors.
For all of you seniors out there, I wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors. As Mae West once said, "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."
