I don't understand senioritis. Wanting to blow off responsibilities, I get, but wanting to just rush to graduation and skip what’s in between, I don’t. What baffles me even more is the amount of underclassmen who claim to be battling senioritis themselves. I can’t imagine anyone has had a perfect college experience; I don't even think one of those exists. But I also don’t think a downright, 100%, net-negative one exists either – it doesn’t have to, at least, but that’s up to you, kid.
Viewing college as a mere stepping stone or a means to an end diminishes its inherent and perceived value, robbing us of the opportunity for personal growth. The way that you pitch things to yourself directly determines the way they’ll make you feel, and pitching college and the end of the semester as a burden; something you’re just pushing your way through, it will end up being just that.
Each semester brings with it a symphony of new schedules, workflows, activities, and memories, each as unique as a fingerprint. From anticipation of a new fall term to the bittersweet nostalgia of a spring semester drawing to a close, these moments are fleeting and irreplaceable. And while it's tempting to rush through them in pursuit of the next break or the next milestone, doing so only diminishes their significance. So, I have to ask, what’s the rush, man?
If you’re an underclassman, like me, think about what you have ahead of you after this semester. A nice, warm summer spent away from academia – sure, but there’s just going to be another semester to follow. Rushing through the spring to get to summer means you’re also rushing toward the fall and rushing toward classes; I hate to be the one to break it to you.
Maybe I’m alone in being a pro-college college student, but I imagine that when I reach my senior spring, I’ll be lamenting the loss of novelty that comes with college life. In college, the new people, the things you see and overhear, the events you attend and opportunities you have vary constantly. Think about it – where else in life do you have the opportunity to experience such a diverse array of new beginnings, challenges, and opportunities for growth, all neatly packaged into the span of a few short months?
I’m not asking you to lie to yourself, but I am asking that you stop, and appreciate the distinctiveness of this semester and every other one you’ve been through. When you take a second to stop rushing through them, you’ll see the excitement in the differences. Like most things in life, it is what you make of it. You’ll either end up appreciating how good the semester has been for you, or maybe you’ll realize, “Man, this semester has put me through it, huh?” If your case is the latter of the two, there’s still appreciation to be had. The growth taking place in those moments is not something to rush through, and certainly not something to not be grateful for.