In high school, I believed I had experienced senioritis. I did not want to finish reading "Into the Wild," math class became less and less important, I was itching to graduate and attend college. I was counting the days until I would depart from LAX and enter Pullman, WA, where I knew I would make countless memories and meet my best friends.
I remember my first day in Pullman, WA—I moved into Olympia Hall, floor 5. It was hot, really hot. My parents unpacked me and made my bed; that was the cleanest my room has ever been in my 21 years of life. I made friends with the girl next door, Natalie; more than half of my floor was going through recruitment, we spent 8 plus hours a day together and we barely knew each other. Those were some of my first college moments. I am saying this to illustrate what senioritis truly is.
At the time that I am writing this, the Class of Spring 2017 graduates in 43 days. In 43 days I will no longer be surrounded by my best friends, I will no longer be able to eat Tin-Tans, or dread the walk to the CUB. When people ask me, “Are you excited to graduate?” I immediately blurt “NO!” I am not ready to stop having random adventures on a Monday afternoon, or ending my day at noon because I am just completely over it. I check my email, at a minimum, 50 times a day, anticipating a response from one of the hundreds of companies I have applied to. At this point, I would be happy with a rejection letter just so I know they actually looked over my resume; I am so obsessed with my email it makes me wince whenever I hear the little ping go off.
Looking for jobs is easily the most stressful thing I have ever had to do. I vowed to apply to two jobs a day in hopes of getting a response from just one person. And if I am I asked “what are your plans for after graduation?” one more time, I think my head will explode. I am so tired of being asked that question, and I respond with such a hateful “I don’t know” that people typically don’t have a follow-up question.
Senioritis here at WSU is 25 percent not wanting to do the homework anymore and 75 percent dreading leaving the happiest place on earth. Of course, I want a job and want to stop logging into my US Bank mobile app as often to check my available balance, but I am just not ready. I am not ready to wear jeans without holes daily and shoes that aren’t converse, or give up the opportunity to take a "treat yo’ self" day whenever I please. I am going to miss Stubby Tuesday, but most of all I will miss the true MVP of Pullman, Dominos.
As I stood in line to collect my cap and gown today, reality slowly began to sink in more and more.
The next time I will be back in Pullman, I will be a working woman (hopefully). I will be able to afford the sushi boat at Red Bento, endless margaritas at Las Casa Lopez and I most importantly, get VIP service at Mikes. As scared as I am for my future, I weirdly cannot wait.
The future does not have to be scary. We have our whole lives ahead of us. Travel, sleep, go on hikes...do some of those last minute things before you truly no longer have time. We have the next 30 plus years to work and do boring, adult things.
If anything, just do what makes you happy. In the end, that’s all that matters.
