“You did it! Congratulations!” While we may not have the world’s best cup of coffee, we have successfully made it to our senior year of college. This is our last year before we venture out into the world, get a grown-up job and start a new chapter in our lives. It’s a year full of mixed emotions but rest assured that Buddy the Elf can help see you though.

Having to answer the ever-dreaded, “What are you going to do after graduation?” question

At your family Christmas? Catching up with an old friend? Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter where you are or who you’re with—this question will find it’s way into your conversation and it’s terrifying. It’s not longer acceptable to say we don’t know. All of a sudden people expect us to know what we’re passionate about and what we’re going to do with it the rest of our lives. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to pull a Buddy and just yell “Nooo!” the next time that question this question pops up because I’m not prepared to answer it.

Dining on a budget

As seniors we’ve ditched those dining halls that we once ate every meal as underclassmen. Not because we’re “too cool” to go there, but honestly because our stomachs can’t handle another year of those mystery meats. Instead we find creative, low budget meals that we convince ourselves taste good. We may not have hit an “eating gum off a rail in New York” phase of our lives, but we’ve come pretty darn close.

We’re just praying for a passing grade

One of the most terrifying moments we face as seniors is looking at our final grades. These measly letters are what stand between us and another semester of ungodly expensive classes. Just like testing Jack-in-the-Boxes, we may be terrified of what’s coming, but we need to put on a brave face and pray that our last minute cram session for finals paid off in passing grades.

The reality that we’re going into the real world hits us

It hits us all at different times. It could be your first day of classes or the day you’re walking across the stage to get your diploma. No matter when it comes, it comes at us like a wild raccoon and it is not a pretty moment my friends.

Pretending we have our lives together

Now I know at this point we’re supposed to have a better idea of where we’re going and what we’re doing with our lives—but honestly we have no clue. Like maneuvering an escalator, we’ve just got to hold on tight to whatever life brings us and fake it until we make it.