A letter to rising seniors from a senior on the way out

Class of 2019: let me offer a few thoughts on how to make the most of being a Senior, or as Henry David Thoreau might say, how to “suck out all the marrow” of your final year at Saint Anselm.

 

As a current senior in the last semester of my undergraduate studies, I have one eye set on the meaningful things that have come to me the past four years, and the other set on the fast-approaching day when I will be sitting in front of Alumni Hall with a diploma in hand. When you arrive at this moment next year, you will understand how strange and in-between it will feel; you will realize that the friends you have made are invaluable and the opportunity to be educated a wonderful privilege, but will also be anxiously awaiting the monumental opportunities that come after graduation. To achieve this balance between appreciating the present and being excited and pragmatic about the future is the key to truly sucking out all the marrow, and these tips might help you as they have helped me along the way!

 

Don’t be hard on yourself. There is no denying that senior year is very complicated in terms of trying to maintain success with academics, clubs and sports, and spending time with your friends, while simultaneously planning the logistics of your life after graduation. You may have certain career aspirations and hopes for the kind of job you want to land, or you may have not even the slightest clue about what you want; the important thing is to remember that everyone figures out their plans at a different rate. Just because some of your fellow classmates may brag about already landing their dream job in January, and you haven’t even submitted applications to any companies yet, does not mean you are failing at life in some way.

 

It is natural to chip away at your career planning slowly but surely; if you feel utterly stuck, don’t be afraid to turn to professors, career services, or even your parents for advice on a solid first step to take. Give yourself permission to mess up sometimes, to not be able to perfectly balance everything all the time, and to plan your post-graduation plans at your own pace.

 

Take classes that interest you. This is the wonder of Senior year. Aside from making sure you are accomplishing all of your core and your major requirements, senior year is your educational oyster! We all have those classes that have made us exclaim to our friends since Freshman year, “that sounds so cool! I’m definitely taking that at some point!”. Well, now’s the chance. Step outside your comfort zone for a semester and sign up for that unique Special Topics class being taught only once, or for that niche subject that’s always secretly interested you.

 

Do you love food and are curious about how it effects mental processes? Take the Psychology of Eating! Are you a closet Shakespeare nerd and read sonnets at the Shakespeare Festival for three years in a row (and you don’t just attend for the free cake)? Take a course on the literature of Shakespeare! Or if art is a favorite hobby of yours, try your hand at a Painting or Ceramics course. Essentially, this is your time to study any subject you want – just make sure you complete your requirements!

 

Visit Career Services for assistance with your resume. Resumes are certainly a necessity when it comes to applying to part-time jobs, internships, and full-time positions; the more polished it is, the more effective it will be in landing you the position you want. Don’t be embarrassed about how bad you feel your resume is. It is perfectly normal to be unsure about where to even begin when creating one. Just don’t be afraid to be honest about this, and to let anyone you speak with in Career Services about your concerns! Learning how to write a cover letter is also important, and even a quick Google search will lead you to some tips and tricks on writing one.

 

Participate. I can’t figuratively underline and italicize this word enough. This is your last year of college! You may end up in graduate school someday, or you may not, so really make an effort to do everything you want to do before it’s over. Rest and give yourself alone-time to relax, but now is the time to extend your efforts to spend time with friends, attend more of the meetings for clubs you belong to, and go to a sports home game or two, especially if you’ve never been. There  are wonderful events hosted by CAB like Spring Weekend, and events like Senior Week and the Christmas Feast. Go to special lectures and visiting speakers – there are always interesting debates and educational talks to be had and heard around campus, so take advantage of them while you can. Actually go to our fitness center! It’s a high quality gym. Not to mention, IT’S FREE! Never again will such a luxury come to us all.

In the end, as long as you are attending the events you’ve always been interested in, hanging out with those lifelong friends you’ve made while here, and being thankful as much as possible for the amazing school you get to study at for just one more year, your Senior year can’t go wrong. Make memories you’ll be proud of, Class of 2019!