As a second semester senior, I have a ton of things for you to keep in mind, and do, before your time in college is over. Check out these ten tips to make sure you have the best semester, yet, and a semester you will always remember after graduation.
1. Make a bucket list.
If you are anything like me, these last couple of years have flown by. Now that I only have a few short months left, the things I still want to do before graduation are piling up. Don’t wait until the last minute to do everything you wanted to do. Instead, sit down with some friends and make a bucket list of everything you can think of. A bar in town you want to try? Local restaurant? Climb Mount Nittany? Some other unmentionable things that won’t be nearly as acceptable after college? Making a bucket list is a fun way to get it all done, especially if you cross off items on the list with friends.
2. Don’t stress yourself out.
While this could seem like the most stressful time of our lives, try to keep it all in perspective. Yes, it is stressful having to make major life decisions, but try not to freak out. Budget your time well since it is your last semester of college. Get your work done during the day and ahead of time so you have more time for other activities, and try not to procrastinate! When feeling stressed, just remember that it will all work out, and you did not work this hard the last couple of years for nothing. Sometimes it’s hard looking around at friends who have interviews, or have landed jobs already, but just remember to focus on your own life and what’s happening for you. It will work out, and stressing yourself out to the point of a breakdown won’t help anything.
3. Don’t fall behind in your responsibilities.
It is so easy to get caught up in just wanting to have fun, but don’t fall behind in your classes. Your GPA this semester matters just as much, if not more, than other semesters. End college on a good note, it will be nice to look back and see that you achieved good grades all while having the best time. This goes also with applying to jobs, keeping up with internships or part-time jobs you have as well. Also don’t forget all the resources we have on campus -- like the Career Center -- when feeling overwhelmed about resumes, cover letters and applying to jobs. These resources are free and easy to obtain, so take advantage as much as possible.
4. Don’t forget to be healthy.
College is probably the easiest time to get in shape. Most places have on-campus gyms you can access for free. You are not stuck in an office all day, you are in complete control of what you eat and you have friends constantly around you who can push you to exercise. After college, gyms won’t be free, and you definitely will not have as much free time as you do now. Even if you do small things like walking to campus instead of taking the bus or eating one less slice of pizza, everything helps. And it also won’t hurt to be able to look back at college pictures and see how great you looked.
5. Don’t dread graduation.
Lately, it seems like all I hear from older people is to savor my last semester of college because the real world sucks. While I am definitely upset about graduation coming up, I am also excited about the prospect of moving on into the real world. While college is a great time and a huge learning experience, we have so many other great times to look forward to. Getting a job, making our own money, not having to rely on Mom and Dad and owning our very own places are just a couple of things to look forward to. Graduation is not the end of the world! Having a positive outlook about moving on will only make the process that much easier.
6. Be thankful for your college friends.
I came into school without any of my close friends. I was so nervous about making friends, but immediately found a great, close-knit group that I still have today. There is no one like your college friends. You have lived with these people for the last couple of years, and they still love you. They have seen you at your absolute worst, been there for you after failed tests and failed relationships, laughed with you, made dumb mistakes with you and most likely gotten in trouble with you. Be sure to spend as much time as possible with them before graduation, and make sure they know you are thankful for them. Take time to meet up with friends you have not seen in a while, or have blown off, because you never know where both of you might be after graduation. Also, make sure to reminisce about the last couple years. There is nothing better than sitting around with your friends, drinking wine and laughing about all the crazy things that have made your college experience amazing.
7. Go on spring break.
If you have not gone on a college spring break trip -- do it. There are so many opportunities for deals and packages that can make it semi-affordable, and there is no other time when your parents may be willing to chip in for something like this. A whole week spent on the beach with your best friends, partying and being reckless before real world responsibilities? Count me in.
8. Make relationships with your professors.
This might seem like a lame one, and something you don’t want to be doing with your precious time left here, but it is so important. I have already found that making relationships with professors the last couple of years has helped me so much, including with recommendations for jobs. Professors have so many connections and are usually willing to help out students, so create relationships that can help you later on in life, or help you snag that dream job you want after graduation.
9. Continue to take time to relax.
Even though post-college will offer a ton of awesome, new experiences, there will be nothing like college. You are free to do what you want, when you want, and you are not confined to a 9 to 5 schedule. When else are you going to be able to relax as much as you do in college? I have skipped countless days of school to just lay around in bed all day, and there was almost always no consequences. That definitely won’t happen in the real world, so take advantage of it while you still can.
10. Deciding between going out or not? Go out.
There is not another time in our lives when being this reckless will be accepted. After college, a hangover is going to be much worse to deal with during a full work day than while just sitting in class in college. Take this time to make as many memories as you can, take a ton of pictures, hang out with your friends and remember that Netflix will always be there, but $2 drinks at your favorite bar will not.
Good luck to the class of 2015, and let's have the best and most memorable semester yet!
