I'm officially a senior in college. Yikes. It seems like yesterday that I was a freshman, moving into a dorm, hanging all of my motivating posters up while hoping and praying that I could survive college. Lord knows that I've had many ups and downs and a lot of transitions in every semester. While the pressure to make the most out of everything is stressful, there is some good in it. I mean, I'll graduate in May 2020, which is a huge deal. While the senior year of college is undoubtedly going to be kind of sad, I have no doubt that it'll be packed with fun memories and events.
Starting June 10th, I'll be taking summer classes all the way up until the fall semester starts. Then a short break for Christmas (if I get lucky, I'll actually get a break) and then my capstone internship during the spring semester! I know time will fly, and I promise that I am going to enjoy it, throughout all the stress and chaos and trying to figure out my life for after graduation. I've been praying about law school, but I know if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. Here are my four tips for how I am preparing for my senior year of college:
1. Network as much as possible
I use LinkedIn a lot, I upload all of my articles on there and update it frequently. Besides using LinkedIn, I think another way to network is to talk to or email professors. This past semester I had several professors tell me that they see potential in me. It feels so relieving to hear that and to actually enjoy what I'm learning about (and I think they can tell that too.) If you network with your professors, they're more likely to remember your name and then reach out to you for internships, opportunities, and honor classes (this has happened to me!) And they would even write letters of recommendation for me if I asked.
2. Start saving and keeping track of finances
Being a real adult is just around the corner. There are a ton of apps you can download to help you, or you can even just download your bank's app and keep an eye on it. When you graduate, it'll be helpful to have some money saved. Also, add something else to the to-do list for senior year: check out all of your student debt bills and consolidate loans. It's no fun to deal with but it's something that's really important and eventually, you have to take care of it.
3. Update your resumé
On my resumé, I have a section for my education, honors and awards, campus involvement, skills, and contact information. Make your resumé look professional! If for whatever reason you've never made a resumé before, I recommend to Google some templates and start there.
4. Have fun
Even though there are a lot of serious decisions to make before and during senior year, it's important to have fun too. You've worked hard to get to where you are and should be able to enjoy it! It's okay to take a break and to take time for yourself.
