Written by: Johanne Mendoza
Editor’s Note: The following articles are written by counseling professionals from Counseling Services and psychology students in partnership with the Southern Accent.
As a graduating senior, I’m often asked, “So what’s your plan after?” and “How are you?” Although I know these most-asked questions come from a genuine place of curiosity, they tend to stress me out. This stress stems from the overwhelming pressures of expectations coming from myself and my parents.
Not only am I keeping my GPA up, but I am also trying to uphold my senior requirements for internship hours, have creative hobbies, balance my social life, figure out my post-grad plans and stay active with a healthy lifestyle.
On top of this, I am also heavily involved with my business, Angel Iris, where I arrange fashion shows and pop-up markets. Although I am grateful for making it this far, I am also struggling to hit the pause button on all of the anxieties that race through my mind.
I have asked my fellow graduating classmates how they feel, and many of them lead with a heavy sigh and tell me that they are just “going through it.” I have spoken to a few students who have figured out their plans, but many of them are apprehensive and feel that they are not ready for what comes after graduation. Most of our anxiety stems from venturing into unknown waters. It is clear that not all of us are prepared to face the harsh reality of becoming an adult, but we are also ready to be done with school.
I looked at reliable sources that eased my mind about graduation. For instance, an article by Johnson Wales University gave practical tips for seniors who are “going through it.” The first tip for staying organized is having a to-do list for graduation and a system for tracking all of your homework/tests so that you don’t fall behind.
The second tip was to celebrate small wins, such as passing those challenging courses, working through that internship, meeting our closest friends and possibly even meeting a significant other. Those small wins call for celebration and acknowledgment as we continue our journey to graduation. This could also motivate us to keep pushing forward.
According to the article, the third tip is to set goals that are SMART: “Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.” Students who are still unsure about what they want to do after graduation can follow these recommendations to set attainable goals and organize their thoughts.
Next, it’s essential to focus on caring for our physical and mental health by keeping active and making time for hobbies that bring us joy. They also mention staying motivated, having an optimistic mindset, finding a support system, scheduling intentional breaks, being involved in study groups, using school resources for support and managing stress through proper sleep. Lastly, they want seniors to get excited about the future by knowing that although there is a lot of the unknown, we can tackle some of the anxiety head-on by making our plans more concrete. This could be done by applying for jobs, looking at apartments and scouting for locations where you want to live.
Living in the present sounds corny and obvious, but time has passed very quickly, and now I am weeks away from graduating. I am trying to embrace all of the small joys and moments with friends, many of whom I won’t live near after this May. You have only one life, and although they are small, I have learned to love the mundane moments. If you’re still reading this, know I am grateful for everything that led me here and what will come.
