Congratulations! In just a few months, you’ll receive your college diploma.
So you have that summer internship under your belt, you’ve updated your resume, applied for jobs or if you’re lucky, you might already have a job lined up. Maybe you got accepted into your dream master’s program or are taking a gap year to travel.
Whatever the case is, you have a few months left before you walk onto that stage and into the adult world. Right now, you’re probably wondering what to do with the time you have left and how to get through your last semester.Make sure you have everything you need to graduate & see your adviser.
There’s nothing more frustrating than realizing a few days before the ceremony that you forgot to order your cap and gown, fill out that diploma application or that you needed just one more credit hour to graduate (what do you mean I could have taken kickboxing class for a grade?). If you’re unsure about whether or not you have everything, make an appointment with your academic adviser to get it figured out as soon as you can.
This is also a good opportunity to chat with your adviser one last time. Chances are you probably wouldn’t have made it this far had it not been for their consistent guidance, so go to their office and tell them how much you’ve appreciated their help. The same goes for any professors that have made an impact on you. It always feels good to thank the people who inspired you and gave you your education. If you’re nervous about your future, don’t be afraid to talk to them about it or about their own career paths and how they got to where they are now. Don’t forget that your advisers and professors were once in their early 20s and have faced the same dilemmas. Talking to them could ease any post graduation anxieties you might have.
Manage time between your studies & spending time with friends.
Be sure to study, focus on your schoolwork and finish strong. If you’re still in the process of applying to jobs or to graduate schools, keep doing that too. But don’t let all of that consume you to the point where you don’t even have any time left to have fun. Take a break. Make time to hangout with your roommates and to see your friends more during these last few months.
You know that trendy new wine bar in town that you and your best friend keep talking about checking out? Plan a girls’ night and go grab a few drinks. Remember that road trip you keep on planning with your roommate? Find a place where you both really want to go and hit the road. How about that one friend you keep telling yourself you’ll meet up with? Shoot them a text, make a coffee date and catch up with them.
In the end, the friendships and the relationships you’ve built with people during college will help you through your last semester. You’ll need them to vent to when things start getting hectic.
Still weighing your career options? Sometimes it feels better to get advice or a second opinion from a friend. You will feel less stressed and they are probably in the same boat and need you just as much as you need them. So if a friend asks to go to a house party, don’t say “I’ll go next time.” If you’ve done all your homework early like you’re supposed to, just go. This last semester will go by fast and soon enough, it’ll be graduation day and you’ll be wishing you took the time to see that friend one last time. Though you will most likely keep in touch with close friends and see them again.
Stay healthy.
When there is so much going on, it’s easy to put your health on the back burner, but it’s important to get enough sleep every night, exercise and eat well. If you absolutely don’t have any time to stop by the gym, there are plenty of quick workouts you can do right before class or in between study breaks. This will help keep you refreshed both mentally and physically while you juggle everything going on in your life. There are a lot of simple and yummy recipes all over—check out our favorites. A lot of students tend to start “stress eating” while they are in college especially during those few months, but don’t fall into that habit.
Be wise with your money.
Your parents probably nag you about this one constantly, but it’s for a good reason. You can still have fun with your friends without lavishly spending money every time. Sure, go to bars and enjoy a road trip every once in a while, but take advantage of free events on campus. Use those coupon books they hand out to students at the beginning of the semester for good deals at stores and restaurants. Have a picnic at the lake or even a good old-fashioned sleepover with movies and board games. There’s also a lot of ways for you to make cash as well.
Your semester will go by more smoothly and it will feel so good when it gets to the end and you have all that extra money in your bank account. Think of it as a “starting over” fund for the new chapter in your life. Whether it’s for paying off student loans, or going toward rent at your new apartment in a new city, you’ll be glad you had it. If you have plenty to spare, treat yourself to a gift. Those boots you’ve been eyeing at the mall for the past few weeks? You deserve it…you just graduated college.
The next few months of your life will fly by. There is no doubt that they will be stressful, chaotic, bittersweet and emotional. You have so many decisions to make while trying to keep up with those last assignments and tests. Manage your money and time wisely. But most importantly, remember that you won’t and shouldn’t have to go through it alone.
Feature Photo via Serendipity and Creativity