The end of the line approaches faster than we ever expect.
When I returned to school in spring of 2024, I had this idea in my head that graduation was far away. Truthfully, it has always felt that way since I dropped out in 2016. Life and school, combined with worries about financial aid, seem to have ensured it always felt that way.
Since I first learned that I could graduate this spring, I’ve felt overwhelmed with a mix of excitement and anxiety. As that final day gets closer, I find myself simply wanting to share a bit of what I’ve learned. Your two most important resources are your support team and your peers.
Your support team is made up of your instructors, your advisor, and a retention coach. All these people play a role in making sure that you are in the classes your program requires, and more importantly they make sure you’re able to complete those courses. You can find your support team in Navigate360, they are there to support you but can only do so if you are willing to take the first step and set up an appointment to meet with them!
Next, you have your peers. That’s us! The other students in your classes, strangers today but friends tomorrow! There are a dozen jokes to insert here about how hard it is to make friends as adults but at the end of the day the only people who can validate your experiences in your classes are the people sitting next to you. Simply having a friend in even just one of your courses will make finding the energy to go to class exponentially easier when you’re fighting against burn out and stress. If your support team is there to help your academics, your peers are there to help you with the simple struggles of student life.
The end of the line approaches faster than we can ever imagine. One minute you’ll be complaining about having to take a public speaking class and the next you’ll be filling out your graduation form. You don’t have to be caught off guard though, reach out to those who are there to support you. Talk about your struggles and anxieties. Make friends and enjoy every moment of these days that go by far to quickly.
