I nervously shuffled my feet, awkwardly clasped and unclasped my hands. I gave a soft laugh that quickly turned into a grimace; I think I mentally gagged. I had just met a friend of a friend (you know how that goes) and the conversation started normally and politely. Hi, hey, nice to meet you, awesome, where are you from and so on and so forth.
Then the game changer happened: they found out I was a senior. All other conversation comes to a screeching halt and the room starts to become extremely small. People cannot continue a discussion without asking the dreaded question that follows the discovery of my age.
“What are you doing next year?”
Honestly, I just went to the store to buy coffee and then forgot to buy the coffee as I shopped. Half of my closet is on the floor and I wore a bright pink, pajama onesie out in public the other day. I don’t even know what I am doing right now. Maybe tomorrow I will remember to buy coffee.
While some of us know the answer to that question, many of us nervously shrug our shoulders and mumble something about graduation.
This is okay.
Yes, society would like to hear what our future plans are. The friend of a friend is asking an appropriate question that we simply want to avoid. But, just because you’ll be receiving a piece of paper that says you’re good at something in the near future, it doesn’t mean you have to be an all-knowing being.
You don’t have to have everything figured out. This is a perfect time to reflect on the last three years and remember your first year on campus. What were you excited about? Which classes did you love or hate? What did you do to motivate yourself? Just as you think about your childhood to remember what you loved as a kid, as seniors, we can take lessons from the freshmen.
1. Go to office hours
Much of a senior’s class schedule is major and minor classes. We have spent the last three years narrowing our focus on what we would like to become professionals in. But, we aren’t there yet. Don’t be pretentious; we don’t know everything. Professors are still the experts. Use office hours as a way to get to know the faculty. With the job world looming just around the corner, these individuals will become your references.
2. Get involved


Do something new. Just because we are in the homestretch of our college career doesn’t mean we shouldn’t explore. It’s easy to become stuck in activities that feel safe and familiar, but all we’re going to do when we graduate is explore. Why not practice now?
3. Meet new people
At this point you know who you want to see all the time and whom you would like to avoid. You have solidified your group of friends and it’s easy to go all “Mean Girls” on strangers: “You can’t sit with us.” But you should be open to new faces. First-year students are just beginning to figure out who they do and don’t get along with. Don’t sit in a cave with your friends and wave off wandering souls. Approach someone new and invite him or her to hang out. Who knows, maybe you will find a best friend, or even someone to contact in the job world.
4. Look at college in wonder
Keep some of your freshman naivety and fascination. We are still students who have a chance to learn from professionals who want to pass on their knowledge to us. Remember how you felt your first year? Everything looked new, captivating and unfamiliar. Now it is home, but try to keep a little of that wide-eyed look.
5. Do what you want
Pursue anything and everything that has ever interested you. Freshmen are told to explore and study what they want. As a senior, never feel like you have to settle for something you don’t want to just because of your age. Change your mind, add a major or minor or study something new. Listen to yourself and be honest.