Dear Seniors,
If you’re anything like me, “senioritis” is starting to kick in hardcore right now. Spring break is right around the corner, and pretty soon you’ll be making your college and career decisions and walking across that graduation stage. But I want to tell you something very important: don’t get too excited yet.
College is great--the independence, the free time, the people--so don’t get me wrong on that. But don’t make the mistake of wishing your time in high school away. I still look fondly on my high school days, and remember all of the memories and people. Enjoy your time left with the people around you, because your world is about to change in ways you never imagined.
But when you make your college decision, and arrive on the first day, there are some important things to know.
Number 1: Orientation days are what you make of them. If you don’t go out and introduce yourself to students, faculty and professors that make themselves available for you, you are losing out on an opportunity to strike up a conversation with someone that could help you land a future job.
Number 2: You are going to have a lot of free time at first. No matter how many credit hours you take, whether it’s 12 or 18, you are going to have time in your day to do whatever you want. Homework, Netflix, parties--it all comes down to you. You have independence from your parents, and will have to make decisions for yourself on how to fill your time. Also, there are a lot of great clubs and organizations on college campuses to fill that free time with. Don’t be overzealous at first and overcommit, but you want to be involved and make a difference on campus.
Number 3: You have an influence on your schedule. What? Yeah. During your summer orientation, you are going to sit down with a professor in your department and nail down your schedule of classes. If you don’t want an 8 a.m. class every day, you can get help to get it changed. While it may not be the easiest thing in the world to do, you definitely have a say in what classes interest you or not.
Number 4: Switching your major is okay, and really easy too. Some college students change their major several times throughout their four years, and all it takes is checking off a few boxes on a piece of paper. Don’t be afraid to change your major if you don’t feel like it’s the right fit for you. Don’t be discouraged either--sometimes classes carry over into your new major. Your advisor will help you make sure you graduate on time, so if you’re feeling it, make that change!
And number 5: College is the best four years of your life. Yes, its cliché, but it’s true. Even though anxiety and stress are very real things that almost every college kid goes through, the people you meet and the experiences you have will last with you throughout your entire life. Don’t be afraid to go to a coffee shop at 2 a.m. to have a conversation with someone. College is what you make of it.
So enjoy your time now and live in the moment, because time flies, and you’ll look back and wonder where the time went. Hang in there, because move-in day is gonna come faster than you think!
Sincerely,
I Can’t Believe Where Time Went
