There will be no other time in your life that goes faster than those four years at college. Nothing. It used to seem like high school would never end, and that you'd be stuck there forever. College is inherently better than high school and, honestly, anyone who tells you or thinks differently is either lying or suspicious, and you probably shouldn't trust them.
College is where you find yourself and what you want to do with the rest of your life. Your senior year, especially, is one of the best times of your life. With that being said, it's important to head into your senior year with a positive mindset and make the most of it.
1. Live in the moment.
Yes, this is totally cliche and seems like an obvious one. But it's so important to live in the moment and appreciate this last year you have at college because it will never happen again. Out of all my four years at school, my senior year went by the fastest, and it's over in a blink of an eye.
2. Take advantage of the time you have left.
Before you know it, you'll be packing your bags and heading home for the rest of your life, so I can't stress enough how it's important to make the most of the next year. Take advantage of your freedom and every opportunity to have in college because soon they won't be there.
3. Don’t take bullshit from anyone.
That friend who always takes advantage of you, that guy who texts you at 3 A.M., your passive-aggressive roommate, whoever it is, you need to stand up for yourself and not let anyone walk all over you. This is your last year at school. You don't need anyone's negativity dragging you down when you are trying to make the most of senior year.
4. Go out as much as you can.
Now, I'm not saying to go get drunk at a party every night because that's just irresponsible and unrealistic, but go out with your friends, have fun, and don't just stay in because you're tired or don't feel like going out. Before you know it, most of your friends will live hours away from each other. These are some of the last times you'll all be together again.
5. But don’t forget about school.
While it's important to be making the most of your time at college, you can't forget about the main reason you're actually there, which is to get an education. Prioritize your schoolwork, and don't end your last year with mediocre or bad grades after putting in the time and effort the past three years.
6. Manage your time.
By now, you should have mastered the art of time management. This is imperative in your success this senior year. You're going to want to make the most of both your social life and schoolwork. So, if you want to go out all weekend, plan ahead and get assignments done early. You can still have fun and do well in school, as long as you have time management skills.
7. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Life isn't perfect, and things don't always work out the way you want them to. You'll fight with your friends sometimes, you'll get annoyed with your roommate, and you'll fail a test sometimes. It's not the end of the world. When you graduate none of that stuff matters, it's important to focus on the real things that do.
8. Dump your lame boyfriend/girlfriend.
I'm not saying to not be in a relationship. If you are happy, they treat you right, and aren't holding you back, then you can skip this one. But if you are constantly fighting, or they are holding you back from living your best life, it's time to drop them. You deserve better and don't want anything to put a damper on your last year of college. They also could be holding you back from meeting someone else amazing this year.
9. Keep a positive mindset.
You will probably have the thought of graduating and the thought of this being your year of lasts, but it's important to not let it get you down. You'll enjoy life a lot more when you have a positive outlook on things. As Dr. Seuss says, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
10. Prepare for the future.
Start planning what you want to do after graduation BEFORE you actually graduate. That way, you aren't stuck in that post-grad life slump. Whether this means getting a job or graduate school, the possibilities of what you can do are endless.
