Senior year has many connotations: the year of fun, job applications and fewer classes if you manage your registration right. However, I have found that my final semester has been glazed over by the anxiety of “the next chapter.”
Everything from assignments to subletting seems constantly swirling in my mind instead of the joy of graduation. In this daze of worry, I find myself slipping on the things I have prided myself on in the past. I am not the only person I talk to who feels this way, though. There are many problems I’ve found myself facing in light of this.
Firstly, the procrastination of senior year has hit an all-time high. Any concept of time management that I once had has disappeared. To combat this, I’ve utilized every form of planner one can imagine: physical, Google calendars and even random phone alarms throughout the day. This has come with viewable success, though some things do get pushed to the last of my priorities.
I’ve also found that I am unincentivized to join clubs or groups I might have in previous years. My original thought process was, “Why would I join a club and pay high fees to only be in it for four months?” though I now thoroughly regret this decision. I have more free time than I know what to do with. To fill this time, I have been tagging along with friends to their clubs to keep myself occupied and entertained, and have developed some new hobbies from these outings.
The biggest problem I feel I’ve faced since the start of school, though, is feeling like I have run out of time to live “the college experience.” Having only turned 21 this summer, I am trying to cram as many fun memories into each weekend as possible. This idea was quickly abandoned, as I was socially exhausted after just a few outings.
The biggest thing I have needed to remind myself of is that everyone has a different definition of fun. I enjoy movie nights and baking just as much as others enjoy the party scene, and that’s okay. Reminding myself that I have my whole life to have fun has made me feel less anxious about missing out.
Overall, I have loved my Clemson experience, and my complaints are minor. I would like to remind all seniors that each and every person’s college experience is unique and should be tailored to exactly what they see fit for themselves. Self-reflection and time management can truly be the make or break to a happy ending of a wonderful college journey.
Natalie Peck is a senior communication major from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Natalie can be reached at [email protected].
