Let me start by saying congratulations! You're almost there. It's been a long road, a well traveled road, but certainly a worthwhile road. Graduation day is among us, folks. It's easy to let senioritis sink in and let ourselves slack a little the last semester. So let me offer you some encouragement to fight the funk of your final semester and push you toward graduation day.
1. Remember how you got here
Hard work. I remember the first college class I ever walked into. My palms were sweaty and I had tiny little knots in my stomach, hoping that everything would go as smoothly as I had played it out in my head. After hearing the first day of class speech and looking over the syllabus, I was bound and determined to do a great job. I was certain I would go the extra mile, I would get the extra help I needed if I was struggling and I would certainly give 100 percent for every assignment.
I've definitely lost some of my enthusiasm in maintaining these expectations, so maybe that's something to work on. Remember how we started college and end the same.
2. Remember who's gotten you this far
From the 3 a.m. McDonald's runs freshman year with my roommate to the professors who just wouldn't except anything less than my best work, there have been plenty of people who have helped pushed me along the way. I'm sure you've had your people too, the ones who have made you laugh during your harder moments, the ones who have made you cry, the ones who pushed you further than you thought you could go and everyone in between.
It's easy to forget all the people rooting for you, don't lose sight of them. Let them continue to encourage you in your final months as a college student.
3. Remember the attitude that got you here
Negativity is not what got me through the first seven semesters of college, and I doubt that's what has worked for you either. I was thankful for the opportunity to learn, I was eager to make new friends and gain new experiences and was an overall joyful person.
As life goes on, things get harder. Classes become increasingly more difficult, relationships become more confusing and life just gets messier, but if we took a step back I think we might realize that we've over complicated things. We've forgotten what it was like to be excited to learn and to stay up all night laughing over pillow talk with our new found best friends.
I know it's tough. The end is in sight and it would be easy to spend our last semester lackadaisically going through the motions. But don't do that. Finish strong. Just like anything else in life, good things are worth the effort. Hard work pays off, in life and in school. Recapture the silliness of freshman year, the effort of sophomore year, the joy of junior year and the fervor for life of this last year.
Remember the people who have helped you along the way and do it for them, but most importantly, remember the person you've become along the way, and do it for her.
