As if life weren’t rushing at you at 100 m.p.h. already, it does so even more after graduating. Graduation is a crazy, crazy time, and life afterward is a huge transition.
It can be tempting to kick your feet up and put yourself on cruise control until the long-awaited day. Senioritis is a real thing, I’ve been there.
On the other hand, it’s also super tempting to become a figurative pretzel with all the knots of worrying about the next step, especially if you’re unsure of what lies ahead.
But rather than apathetically coasting through the last of your semester, or becoming a bundle of stress, I present to you another option: a healthy combination of both enjoying the present moment and preparing for the future.
In no particular order, here are five ways to prepare for graduation: (or any real life transition, really.)
1. Tell a professor how much they mean to you.
If you ever went to a lecture or took a class that impacted you profoundly, or you got to know a professor on a deeper level, leaving you challenged and inspired, tell them. Make a visit during office hours or write them a letter. Teaching is often a thankless job! It’s good to make a habit of telling people how much they mean to you. On that note…
2. Spend quality time with roommates/close friends.
This may be a no-brainer, but the emphasis here is on quality. Let some of the time you spend with friends in your final pre-grad days be celebratory — recall good times and be sure to tell them how much they mean to you, too.
3. Go on a retreat or spend some time in reflection.
Take some time to reflect on your experience in college. How have you grown personally? What were the experiences or who were the people who helped shape who you’ve become? Every so often, it’s worthwhile to reflect on who we are and where we’re going in life, and right before a big transition is a great time to do that!
4. Enjoy and mentally prepare.
Priority number one: take a break from freaking out about the next step for a sec, and enjoy the present moment. Smell the roses. Pat yourself on the back for making it all four years. You get the gist. But do look at your coming first year out of college with hopeful anticipation, because it’s going to be one heckuva ride. Prepare to be challenged, grow a lot, learn a lot, and embrace all the change to come!
5. Join the FOCUS Alumni network!
Sign up and get resources and encouragement on living lifelong Catholic mission. It’s tough being faithful in the “real world,” and we’re here to serve you in your journey! Plus, if you sign up before June, you’re automatically entered in a giveaway for a $150 Visa giftcard!