6 Ways To Prepare For Graduation

You did it– you’re finally a senior! Senior year at Connecticut College is a time of great excitement, and also a time of closure. Listed below are 6 ways to prepare for graduation and make the most of the time you have left at this wonderful school.

1.) Continue to utilize CELS as a resource.

By sophomore year, you were probably sick of the weekly CELS emails and reminders to attend their workshops. Now that you have completed your summer internship, however, you probably look back and are grateful for all the tips and preparation for the real world that CELS gave you. Your CELS internship is over, and you are in your senior year, but there’s no need for the help and hard work by your CELS counselor to simply disappear! Make a point to stay in touch with your counselor– they have many years of experience, and can help you find your dream job, land an interview, and polish your resume!

2.) Get to know your professors.

I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but this is your chance to make lasting connections with some of your favorite professors before you leave campus! Go to office hours, even if you are now a pro at studying and don’t really need the professor’s supervision. Take time to talk to them outside of class. Your professors likely had the same struggles as you when they were graduating seniors, and can provide advice and guidance. Who knows– they might even know of someone in your field who is hiring!

3.) Take an unusual, exciting, new course.

Hopefully by senior year you have managed your classes properly so that you don’t have to cram all of the impossibly hard or boring courses into two semesters. If you have a free space in your schedule, consider taking a new course in an area that you have never studied before. Conn offers some amazing and diverse classes, such as Environmental Philosophy, History of Arts and Technology, Race, Gender, and the Mass Media, and Ornithology (the study of birds)! Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone, as this may be the last chance you have to learn inside a classroom.

4.) Stay involved on campus.

Staying involved on campus is one of the most important ways to prepare for graduation. Just because you won’t be on campus next year doesn’t mean that you can’t be involved in what’s happening now. Stay involved in on-campus activities and clubs, and attend events in the greater New London area. Leave behind a lasting impression, or meet people you would have never had the chance to otherwise. Don’t be afraid to get involved– you may be leaving Conn behind, but the work you do to better the community will have a much more lasting impact.

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5.) Don’t stress about the future.

As hard as it is, quit worrying so much about what’s going to happen after graduation. Yes, spend time looking for job opportunities, keep your grades up, and apply to grad schools, but don’t stress about it! According to an article published by the Washington Post last year, more than 4 out of 5 college students graduate without having a job lined up. So, although it may seem that all of your friends have their lives perfectly mapped out, they probably don’t! Stop worrying about things that are out of your hands. Just do your best and everything will eventually fall into place.

6.) Enjoy Yourself!

Despite being constantly bombarded with advice and questions about your future, take a step back to enjoy your last two semesters of college. This is one of the most important ways to prepare for graduation! Although you may be anxious to start living in the “real world,” appreciate what you have at this moment. You may never again have the chance to live in such close proximity to your friends, enjoy the New England winters, or chow down on some mozzarella sticks in Cro at 1 AM. You’ve been through seven tough semesters so far, working to keep your GPA up, making connections and networking, and finishing all your work on time. Appreciate how far you have come since graduating high school, and how much farther you still have to go.

Did you enjoy reading 6 ways to prepare for graduation? What is the most important lesson you have learned while in college, and what is the thing you will miss most about Conn after graduating? Share below in the comments section!