Tips for an Upcoming College Senior:

Graduation can be scary. Here are some tips to stay on task and keep cool during your senior year of university. 

Think Ahead, But Don’t Forget to Live in the Present

Senior year comes with hypothesizing and manifesting many of your future goals. Determine for yourself what those are and develop a plan to get yourself in the right direction to achieve them. Grad school? Research application deadlines and costs. Gap year? Start thinking of what you want to do and what you would like to accomplish. Full-time employment? Ensure you know the appropriate time to start applying for your industry sector and make sure all your application materials are updated. While Senior Year can come with the fear of the unknown, remember to embrace it. It’s a time in your life where you have unlimited resources at your fingertips and friends nearby. Take a walk around your campus and appreciate how far you’ve come. 

Don’t Compare

This golden rule is easier said than done. After graduation, you’ll learn quickly not to keep tabs on others but to focus on yourself. For the first time in your life, everyone is being pulled in different directions. You’ll have friends who move across the country, start full-time employment, or decide to travel the globe. It can be confusing as you find yourself for the first time in an environment without a collective group of people your age you can rely on. Stay true to yourself. You’ll be just fine.

Clean Up Social Media Presence

As you near college graduation, it’s not a bad idea to clean up your online presence to something that is a little more professional. Make sure your profile photos on your social accounts look polished, update that LinkedIn, and maybe consider getting a professional headshot taken to use for future job apps. 

Take Time to Tailor Your Resume

Is there something you always wanted to do during your undergrad that you just couldn’t find time for? In the bridge between graduation and finding full-time employment, spend some time strengthening your skills. Take an online course and receive a certification, find a post-grad internship, or spend some time volunteering. Anything you can boost on your resume will help you in the long run. 

If You Haven’t Already, Make a Bucket List

It may be cliche, but the world is truly your oyster after you graduate college. After you receive your diploma, your life is made up of choices. Decide what your goals are and do that thing you’ve always wanted while you’re young. Make it happen for yourself. 

Hopefully, these tips are useful for all of you soon-to-be seniors! Good luck out there!

Citations:

16 great ideas for what to do after college. Indeed Career Guide. (n.d.). https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-to-do-after-college.

Tips to Starting Your Senior Year in College Right. Study.com | Take Online Courses. Earn College Credit. Research Schools, Degrees & Careers. (n.d.). https://study.com/articles/20_Tips_to_Starting_Your_Senior_Year_in_College_Right.html.