Are you scared to graduate? We are too. There are so many unknowns after college, and it can be nerve racking. Everything will be okay though. We have five fears and five tips to share with you all to survive the senior scaries. We hope this helps at least a little bit.
Five Fears Going into Senior Year of College:
- Not Being Ready
- Questioning Graduate School
- Not Getting a Job
- Senioritis
- Degree Questioning
- Not Being Ready
Is anyone ever ready to graduate from college? I feel like people say they want to, but then graduation comes, and people aren’t ready to. I personally feel like I’ll never be ready to graduate. There is so much to do and experience in college and not enough time. I want to experience everything when I have no major responsibilities like a career job. Most people can relate to that feeling.
- Questioning Graduate School
Deciding whether to go to graduate school can be tough. Certain degrees benefit directly from going to graduate school, but others may be less impacted. Graduate school can also be a huge time and money commitment. For some people though getting a little bit more time to not leave school can be good. Or people who want to start above the ground floor of a career may want a higher degree. I support whatever way someone may go when choosing to attend graduate school. Do what benefits you most.
- Not Getting a Job
Not getting a job post-graduation is so many people’s fears. The job market is always fluctuating and is never consistent. Today there could be a great chance of landing a job, but tomorrow there could be none. Also getting a job can be very hard. The interviewing process is highly based on who you know and who you talk to. There is truly no fair hiring process in the world. It is no longer about how good your resume looks, because everyone has good resumes now. You must stand out with your personality, which can be hard. You have to learn how to mesh well with all types of people and switch your personality depending on the company or person interviewing you. The whole process is very fake, and it causes people to not get jobs. The stress alone from the job hiring process has stunted people.
- Senioritis
Just like in high school you can get senioritis in college. Senior year of college can kick your butt and make you feel exhausted. The classes and time commitments get more rigorous and take more energy. This causes seniors to be slowed down to a point of not wanting to continue school. Not wanting to finish school is very scary. You have worked so hard to earn a degree for the past three years and then just want to give up.
- Degree Questioning
Senior year rolls around along with a diploma at the end of it. What if you aren’t sure, you made the right decision for a major? Picking a major in the first place can be very hard. Working through a major and then realizing you hate it, is crushing. What do you even do if you hate your degree? You have to make it work, but how?
I assume you relate to the fears we have for senior year of college. It is now time for us to share tips on how to manage those fears. Â
Five Tips for Surviving Senior Year
- Getting Excited Â
- Finding your Path
- Job Searching
- Recharge
- Being Sure
- Getting Excited
Though entering the world outside of college can be scary and hard, it can be exciting. Think about the amazing new adult experiences you will have. For instance, getting drinks with coworkers after a 9-5 or buying your first car by yourself. There are so many accomplishments that you will have on your own which will be fantastic. The life after college will let you find your adult self without the restrictions you have in college. That is the best thing you can receive, freedom.
- Finding your Path
Finding what path, you need to go down after college can be very complicated. Graduate school vs. a job vs. a gap year, or anything else. Picking your own path is in your hands. There are so many options and no one else can choose it for you. Do you want to stay in school? Okay then go to graduate school or get another undergraduate degree. Do you want a break from school? Then go out into the world and find a job or take a gap year. A job right after school is not always possible for people to save their mental health. A gap year is very appropriate after college. This will give you time to find what you want out of life. Great ways to fund this adventure are by doing odd jobs or saving money prior to this adventure. A good example of a gap year with odd jobs is being a live in nanny or a cruise staff member.
- Job searching
Finding the right job for you can be tough. I suggest using many different social media and internet based professional forums. The top one I can recommend is LinkedIn. I know don’t kill me, but LinkedIn is super great for networking. Networking is the key to getting a job. You need to meet people and make connections to get into your dream job. All jobs tend to be given out based on personalities and connections to the person hiring. If you can grow your network, you can get to where you want to be.
- Recharge
Recharging yourself when you have fallen into senioritis is important. The best way to do this is by knowing you are going to get through your slump even if you don’t think you will. Slumps come and go, but most don’t stay forever. Knowing this will help you to push through every day. You also have to believe in yourself. If you don’t believe you can do something, then it won’t happen. You can do anything you put your mind to, that is more than a cliche. You seriously can do whatever you believe you can.
- Being Sure
Being sure whether you didn’t waste four years of your life studying a major you don’t enjoy is crazy. If you realize you hate your degree, you must be able to pivot. Just because you hate your degree does not mean you are in the gutter. You have to make your degree work. Your degree doesn’t define you, there are so many opportunities that don’t require a degree or need a specific degree. Use what you have and make it work.
After reading this blog about the senior scaries I hope you gained something helpful. Senior year of college is a personal journey that everyone goes on their own. Take senior year day by day and embrace the new experiences you will gain. Good luck to all the seniors this year and future seniors.
