Opinion, Students

The 10 Commandments of Senior Year

  1. Thou shalt do thy homework. Seriously. It’s more important this year than any other year. If you fail a class, you can’t just re-take it next semester. Now there are more important things at stake, like graduation dates and potential jobs. Save yourself the stress. Do your homework.
  2. Amidst thine studying and job searching, thou shalt have a little fun. Don’t go crazy, but it IS your senior year. Enjoy your time with your friends. It’ll be over before you know it.
  3. Thou shalt not start any new relationships after November. I mean, you can if you want to. But I would advise against it, seeing as you have roughly six months until graduation. Starting a new relationship means either a change in your life plan or an awkward conversation in May.
  4. If thou chooses to start a relationship after November, it will be with another graduating senior. If you want to have fun during your last months in college, that’s totally fine. But do it with someone in the same boat as you. Someone who won’t get hurt when you graduate and want to move on and do what’s best for you- because they want that, too.
  5. Thou shalt have at least one nervous breakdown per semester. It’s your last year of college, and the pressure is incredible. Trying to pass your final classes, find a job and make plans for the real world (while having a social life because let’s be real, it’s your last year of college and you want to live it up as much as possible) is exhausting. Expect at least one day per semester where you lay in bed eating ice cream and crying about the hopelessness of your situation. It’s okay, though. It’ll pass.
  6. Thou shalt consider all thine options. Graduation doesn’t mean you have to find a 9-5 job. Think about taking some time off to travel or accepting a non-traditional job, like on a cruise line. Your twenties are the most free years of your life- take advantage of them.
  7. Thou shalt prepare thyself for thine friends getting married. Senior year is a big deal for couples- many of them face an important decision. To stick together, and move as a unit after graduation, or to focus on themselves and go their separate ways. For many couples, the next logical step is engagement, so prepare yourself for a barrage of wedding invitations.
  8. Thou shalt remember to eat and sleep. Senior year is incredibly busy, and it’s easy to feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. Remember to take time for you.
  9.  Thou shalt embrace the time left with thy family. Don’t get me wrong- it’s not like you’re dying. But after graduation, you don’t know where you might end up. It could be anywhere from down the road to thousands of miles away. If you have a chance to have dinner with Mom and Dad, take it. You don’t know when you might get another chance to.
  10. Thou shalt GET EXCITED. Graduation is a big deal, and frankly, we’ve all earned it. Take a second to pat yourself on the back for your accomplishments and get excited about what the future has to offer.
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