Graduation: as a freshman you couldn't wait for it to happen, as a senior you feel like it's the countdown to the end of an era. Graduation marks the end of your "college days" and the beginning of adulthood (dun dun dun.) Much like the process of grieving, there is a process that seniors go through as the dreaded G-word approaches. Seriously, stop saying the G word. It is terrifying and causes mass hysteria.
Stage 1: Excitement. Relief that college is ending! No more exams, stress-inducing papers or crappy dining hall food to deal with!
Stage 2: Wait, college is ending? No more library study chat sessions with friends before finals, excitement over getting an A on that hard paper, or amazing dining hall cookies?!
Stage 3: Registration for your final semester. It's supposed to be easy because you get the first pick and most likely only need one or two classes for the hours, but you come to realize that this is your final semester... One last ride.
Stage 4: People begin to ask you what your plans are post-grad, and you decide to start making up fake careers. "I've been hired by NASA as an astronaut food tester."
Stage 5: You see a position/event/class/anything to apply for that is happening the semester after you graduate. The next time you tailgate at a football game, you'll be an alum...
Stage 6: Your parents now believe that you've gained a whole new breadth of knowledge on your given major and can be counted upon for any advice on that topic.
Stage 7: You apply for Graduation, pick up your cap and gown, and send out graduation announcements. Still in a state of shock, at least, an influx of money is about to come in the mail. Swiftly followed by your notice to start repaying student loans.
Stage 8: You're so near the end that every ounce of "try," that you had freshman year is almost gone. Freshman-you showed up to class 20 minutes early with backup highlighters and number-two pencils. Senior-you is struggling to get to class fully clothed and showered. Each assignment seems like Mount Everest.
Stage 9: You realize that all of your friends are no longer going to be within a 5-minute walk or drive away and that everyone is going off to try "adulting," too. You already miss those late-night Wendy's trips and dorm room sleepovers.
Stage 10: Intense nostalgia sets in. Every trip to the library you reminisce on all the "good times" you had there. You start to enjoy waiting in that 30-minute Chick-fil-A line, and you even think that you might miss the campus terrorists geese. Senior sendoffs come and you have to hold yourself together with tape and glue.
Stage 11: Realizing your impending doom of graduation, you decide to make the most out of your last few months in college and live every night like it's your last! Post-grad life can't be that bad, right? Right?
