For many undergraduates across the nation, the home stretch has begun. Only one more semester remains in our undergraduate career. Oh, the places we will go! For the majority of college seniors, this is simultaneously the best and worst year out of the past four and here’s why.

1. The classes you are taking are actually difficult.

A schedule full of easy pottery throwing and film courses is merely a myth on the average campus. With all of those prerequisites for the upper-level courses and the never-ending battle you fight each year during registration for limited class seats, senior year brings with it the ability to register for the final courses you need to fulfill your major. Yet, these are not the easy entry level courses. These are the comprehensive, end of major, capstone courses designed to apply the knowledge from all your previous courses, usually in the form of an extensive research paper or engaged learning project. The upside is you actually probably really enjoy these classes but alas there is no room for slackers here.

2. You probably have a fancy internship somewhere.

A staple of any undergraduate resume is the internship experience. By senior year, you finally have the necessary course work and experience to land a position at your dream company. If you are like me, in the humanities, then that also means long hours worked each week with no form of compensation. It is not all about the money, though. You are networking, possibly building a career path and gaining invaluable experience in your field. It just means that your wallet is constantly on the verge of hitting the empty mark and those super expensive concert tickets to see your favorite artist might have to wait.

3. You and your pals are all of a legal age to drink (even the late bloomers).

You have finally reached the point in your academic career when you and all your friends are legal and can venture away from campus to participate in those late night shenanigans. Chicago is unquestionably a perfect place to do so -- Wrigleyville, Boystown, River North, the possibilities are bountiful. But alas, recall that you are strapped for cash, and time with your internship, and course load and sometimes taking advantage of all Chicago has to offer gets pushed behind your other responsibilities. Never fear, even though you may not be the party animal you used to be, it is always comforting to know that you can go buy a bottle of wine to enjoy at home with friends while writing that long term paper for class.

4. The future... what is that?

You used to relish all of the academic breaks for the chance to head home and see your family. Free food and laundry, oh my! Now, every time you head to those large family gatherings in celebration of the holidays, you are plagued by questions of your future. Where are you heading next? Any plans? Do you have a job yet? For many of us, our plans are still uncertain and not being able to respond only stresses us out more. So thanks, we appreciate the concern, family, but you are actually just adding to our levels of anxiety.

5. Apply, interview, rejection, repeat.

Following this path of stress over the future, on top of balancing your course load, extracurricular activities and internships, many seniors are also going through some long and difficult application processes. Whether you are pursuing graduate school or an entry-level position with a firm, both processes are tedious and stress inducing. One of these applications will more than likely determine the path of your future and finding the time to devote to their completion is difficult. Rejection from some is inevitable, but never fear. This grueling process can only pay off in the long run by enabling you to leave college with a solid plan for your future.

Senior year is undoubtedly one of the highlights of any undergraduate career because of the perks that come with it. You have a core group of friends, you can pretty much partake in any activity across the city and yet it comes with certain responsibilities that make the entire experience bittersweet. The only thing we can do is embrace it, enjoy it while its lasts and persevere through its valleys and peaks. We are on the home stretch with one-eighth of our bachelor’s degree to complete, keep your heads up, fellow seniors!