As of today, there are 34 days left until commencement (probably the first thing seniors do not want to hear). I feel as if college seniors get asked what their future plans are during the beginning and end of the school year. At the beginning of this academic year, I posted a blog title, “Things Seniors Don’t Want To Hear.” Although accurate then, it is definitely applicable now that we are graduating in practically one month (it was really funny to reflect back on that)!

Graduation is in (X number) of days!

Thank you, Captain Obvious. Although I will confess; starting spring semester, I created a countdown on my planner. For me, it was motivational. For others, not so much. We seniors already have so much going on between now and then; graduation is definitely the last thing to think about. With papers, projects, and exams left, all of our “energy” (it’s gone, we’re burnt out from academia) goes into that. The more we think about graduation, the higher the chance of a stress-attack. I am excited to graduate because I’m so checked out with school work, but I am NOWHERE near ready to say my goodbyes.

What are your plans after college?

With the exception of a slim 1% (me included), many seniors DO NOT know what their plans are after college. Real talk, most of us don’t know which TV series to binge watch on Netflix, or what to eat for dinner. If many of us can’t figure that out, how the heck would we know about our post-college plans? I am lucky that I do know what I’m doing (Peace Corps!) and I’m THAT senior that everyone hates because I know my plans. It’s ok, I suck it up, because in the end, we will all end up somewhere. It’s just a matter of when. To you “non” seniors out there, be careful when asking this question!

When are you going to settle down?

Well, Netflix and I have been going steady, and we are definitely ready for the next level. I joke, I joke! Again, with the slim 1% who are engaged or already married, KUDOS! I am happy for you that you have that settled. As for the rest of us, people, we’re only 22-23. The only commitment that I have in my life (other than family and Netflix) is food and sleep. I’ll settle down when someone finds me in my cave.

Are you ready for the real world?

Last time I checked, I live in the real world. Others may not think that college is the “real world,” but the real world is what we make it. College has challenged us and taught us so much. As much as seniors think that they are not ready for post-college life, think again. We have all the tools we need to survive, and the skills that we have grown in will definitely put as at an advantage in wherever we end up. So we ARE ready for the real world, we just have to realize it.

Enjoy college while it lasts!

This is the reason why I hate this question: we only have a limited amount of time left, but there are so many things to do between now and graduation. I’m trying to enjoy college while it lasts, but I still need to balance academics and life out. One of the main reasons college exists is so we can get degrees; I would definitely like mine. But you don’t need to tell me to enjoy college while it lasts. It just tells me that a) the number of days keep decreasing and b) life without my college friends around at all times is going to be an adjustment.

Are you ready to graduate?

And lastly, the Holy Grail of all questions. Are we seniors ready to graduate? Yes/No. We are ready to graduate because we want those challenges in various settings, we may be getting tired of the people we have been with for four consecutive years, we just want a new environment, and we are just so done with school work. But why would we not be ready? We don’t want to leave this place we call home behind, and we may not be ready to say our farewells to our closest.

It's actually happening!
It’s actually happening!

Despite the fact that seniors don’t want to hear this, we have to face its reality. Graduation is upon us whether we are ready or not, but there’s a reason why it’s called commencement; we are starting afresh! Thank you for reading, all! Make sure to follow me on Twitter and on Instagram!

Published by Marvin Solberg

Greetings! My name is Marvin Solberg and my hometown is Traverse City, Michigan. I am a Hope College senior studying nursing, and aspire to obtain my Ph.D. in nursing research with the ultimate goal of becoming a professor. At Hope College, I am involved in Student Activities Committee (SAC), Student Blogging at Admissions, Ballet and Hip-Hop Club, Hope College Immersion Trips, and I am a nursing teaching assistant (TA)! I love God, my family, and friends. There's truly no place like Hope College; I call it my home away from home!

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3 Comments

  1. Marv, I don’t this post oculd have been written more accurately. For me though, there is probably more of an emphasis on there being so much still to do and so very little time to do it! And not having college friends a quick 5 minutes away is going to be so so hard… wow, don’t make me think about it yet! Ahahaha.

    But in the end, I love reflecting on my four years here and all the wonderful people I’ve met, all the wonderful experiences I’ve had, and how much I have grown. It’s crazy, but I am so very thankful for these years!

    Thanks for this post!! 🙂

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