You're about to start school, and you see all your friends who have big kid jobs, or are getting ready for graduate school, yet here you are about to start your fifth year of undergraduate.
Now you are probably here because your major is a five year major, you switched your major once or five times, you took less than 15 hours a semester or the equivalent of 30 hours a year, or you just plain fucked up and you are determined to get out.
You've probably noticed a difference between yourself and your peers or your self and the past you or both and I bet they went a little like this:
1. Preparing your room:
If you're like me you found a place you didn't have to move out of in the summer and into a new place, you've already done it 4 times and that was enough. So your room probably hasn't been cleaned but once this summer because you are tired from summer school and working full time.
Your friends, however, are moving into their new places and posting pictures of their perfectly decorated rooms and you are honestly questioning how long will it stay that way.
2.Excitement about classes starting:
You aren't excited for them to start, you are excited to tally off your degree sheet and have everything highlighted, which means you will graduate. You're stressed about your upcoming classes, not because of the coursework, but whether or not you enrolled in the right ones to complete your degree sheet. You push yourself because you have one more year, and it gets you through every lecture and assignment that is to come.
Your friends are so excited to start their next adventure; they have either reached the light at the end of the tunnel or are on the same boat as you.
3. Social life:
You know that your focus is school and if you can be social that's great, but also so is a bottle of wine at home in your pajamas. You've had four years of a social life, you know what's worth going out and what a good night in is like.
Your friends are so excited to turn 21 or have drinks after work with their new colleagues in their new job in their new town (or old town but new to the bars). Your younger friends are so excited for all the parties they will go to, and your older friends are excited to not buy well drinks.
4. Becoming an adult:
You are so close and you are somewhat excited and somewhat scared. You know the job market isn't great, and you know that grad school is expensive and hard to get into. After 5 years, do you really want to go on for another 2-6? Where will you live- will you get a new job and go to a new city, or will you move back home? Adulting in college is a lot different than being an actual adult and it's scary to see what the future has in stores.
Your friends are so excited to be an adult, however, it's far enough away that it's not yet an in-your-face reality. Or they are an adult and have gotten a job and are in a new city, they could be living at home, or they might be in graduate school.
5. Leaving college:
You are so excited to graduate but not leave your school. It gave you great memories, made you a stronger person, kicked your ass a few times, and you are going to miss it so much. However, those student loans start to kick in.
Your friends are ready to leave, or are enjoying the time they have left not realizing how fast it goes by, or are currently missing their alma mater as much as you are going to next year.
.
We got this, fifth-years, we are almost done!
