This is bad. This is real bad. One week into school and I’m already feeling the effects of my senior year. I don’t even have enough motivation to make a witty and fabulous blog title! (Which you know I’m highly capable of).
Maybe it’s just the combination of still-summer-like weather (currently it is 85 degrees and sunny in Western New York aka a sign of the apocalypse) in addition to being back together with all my friends (how am I supposed to be working on reading something when my roommate comes pirouette-ing into my room claiming he is “Lord of the Dance?”**) that’s making it so hard for me to get back into the swing of things.
It happens to the best of us.
So in the spirit of my early onset Senioritis, I decided to look up some tips (as if I’m going to come up with them on my own – I can barely help myself!) on how to stay focused your senior year, whether you’re in your last year of high school or college. (Drumroll please:)
Become a leader
We’re the BMOC (Big Men[&Women!] on Campus) now so use your senior status to rise to the top of whatever club, sport, etc. that you’ve been a part of. For me, that means being the editor-in-chief of our school newspaper (thank you, thank you, no applause is necessary) and that sense of responsibility really requires me to step up my game, even if I don’t always want to. Think of a leadership position as a way of saying “I earned this, people are counting on me and if I slack off hundreds will weep over my lack of leadership” (or perhaps something less dramatic, but you get it).
2. Get interested (and interesting!)
Take interesting classes! Now is not the time to say “hm I need a class in my schedule, how about the history of rocks!” (Unless of course rocks interest you. In which case take it. And revel in your rock history!) Instead, take those classes you didn’t have room for before like theater or musical performance or physics or whatever. Nothing makes going to class worse than when you hate it.
3. Try something new
I’ve been on campus for three years and there still are things that make me say “when the heck did we get that?!” So it is my vow this year to explore and investigate all my school has to offer and if it interests me to learn more about it. Why not? There’s nothing to lose now!
4. Give back
Like practically all seniors, I found myself making the observation at 1) how tiny the freshman are 2) how many more of them there are now and 3) how I definitely wasn’t that annoying when I came to school. Of course these observations aren’t true but rather the lens of senior bias coming into play! So instead of just following these stereotypes, use your years of experience and greet the new freshies and help make their transition into school a little bit smoother. After all you are wiser, experienced (and seriously good looking) so why not pass your knowledge along?
5. Remember: It’s a year of “lasts”
My roommates and I took this to heart by starting a “Senior smiles bucket” in our apartment. (TOTALLY lame but hey, it was on Pinterest and there are some things you just don’t want to forget!) So remember all of those silly, stupid, hilarious things you do your senior year because it’s going to be the last time you do it in the place you are now. Everything changes so make sure you take the time to enjoy it.
So. That was pretty long for a self-diagnosed Senioriter (I just made up that word just now). I guess that goes to show that even if you feel like you just can’t go on anymore!!! that if you dig in your heels and start thinking, it’s not so hard to get through your senior year at all. So enjoy it!! I wish you luck. 🙂
Until next time,
Laura
