by Serena H.
For me, graduating high school and moving on to university didn’t seem that bad. A little nerve wracking maybe but it had always been my plan and I wasn’t scared at all. Graduating university is far more terrifying. In some ways, I feel very prepared but, in others, not so much.
Once I got to university, I picked my major and I knew what I wanted to do moving forward. I made some decisions about working and going to grad school. Obviously, those plans have changed over the years. University is an opportunity to rediscover yourself in ways you hadn't before. Which I did on some levels but, school has always been a part of my life and is somewhat integrated into my identity. I grew up being ‘the smart-one’ and the know-it-all. This almost never bothered me but this portion of myself is strange to move on from. This made the decision to skip a year or two before grad school both exciting and terrifying.
I came to the decision in the past year or so that, as much as I wanted to stay in school, I needed a break. I looked forward to adult life outside of school, and I still do. It’s a new, exciting experience. I know that many adults in my life said not to grow up too fast and that adulting is stressful and not as fun as I think. I honestly look forward to finding that out for myself. I look forward to the struggle into true adulthood. I have a great group of people to support and help me out along the way. I feel prepared to take on the burdens of adulthood and learn for myself what it’s really like. I’m excited about continuing the job I have, getting to move up in that position and continuing to learn from experience. The stressful part of this whole situation is the actual graduation bit.
Senior year isn’t too bad! I’m just super stressed about passing all my classes, getting all my credits to stay on track to graduate, applying to graduate, actually graduating, etc. The transition is the worst part. Finishing university is stressful. I’ve already prepared myself for the next step and I feel as though I’m jumping through the final bunch of hoops for that piece of paper that I have spent four years and a tens of thousands of dollars to get. It has been a lot of rewarding work and I am lucky to have the opportunity but can I be done now? I am lucky to have strengthened existing relationships and build new ones over my four years. Meeting new and amazing people who I hope to know for a lifetime. I have learned so much at university, not only in the classroom but outside of it from work (especially with my on-campus job), meeting with professors, having a great internship mentor and so many other places and people. I appreciate everyone who has taught me something along the way. I’m ready and prepared to move on now because of that.
I’m ready to jump into my work, finally change my legal address and get a start on my adult life. In the next year or two, I plan on taking the GRE and getting some resume boosters for my grad school applications and hopefully planning out grad school itself. I want to do so much more and I’m very excited of the opportunities ahead of me! So wish me luck as I finish up senior year and I’ll see everyone on the other side of the graduation tunnel!