What comes next

With the semester coming to an end, it raises the question of what is next?
What is the next stage? Students go up a class or graduate. We’re one step closer to full
blown adulthood. Well, what happens when you have no idea of what the future needs to
look like. There is no plan or schedule. It seems that’s the case for most of us, taking it day-
by-day and surviving off of energy drinks and Qdoba. I can’t determine if it’s normal or not,
but I can say you’re not alone.

To the seniors who are going into one of the worst job markets and with graduate school
acceptance rates going down, the future doesn’t hold much light. I can’t imagine how
scary it must be staring into the vast unknown, the levels of anxiety and uncertainty must
be through the roof. However, I would like to offer a consolation price: no one else knows
exactly what they’re doing. All you can do is take a breath, take it easy and put one foot
after the other. Graduation is right around the corner, enjoy your last days as an undergrad.
Reminisce on your time here, focus on what you’ve done and not build on regrets. All you
can do is look forward to the next stage of your life and hope for the best.

To the juniors, it feels like there’s still a lot of time while also feeling like you’re running out
said time. A lot is happening all at once but, fortunately, there’s some time before senior
blues kick in. Start some planning now. It doesn’t have to be a well-defined plan, just
something as simple as an outline and slowly building off of that helps subdue any later
overwhelming feeling. We all need to start somewhere, it’s a lot easier starting earlier and
slowly working through it. By the end, it wont feel like it came at you all at once but rather,
you’d be prepared for what’s next.

Finally, to all the freshmen and sophomores, this is prime college time. Now is not the time
to worry about what comes next. This is the perfect time to discover what you want to do,
get a feel for your passions. Join the clubs you think are interesting. Make the friends today,
they’re the social networks of tomorrow. Now is also the time to make the major changes
in your life. While it’s not impossible, it’s much scarier to switch majors or professions
closer to your senior year. In summary, it’s the year of exploration!!!

My last piece of advice to you all is to prioritize yourself above all things. It’s stressful
thinking about the life after graduation and while it is important to plan ahead, let’s not
forget about ourselves in the process. It is your life and nothing is set in stone. Take a
breather. Enjoy the now. There’s limits to what you can control so don’t fret over things you
have no power over. “You’re not falling behind or running late. You’re simply lying in wait.”

Signing off for the year,
Daniella Akwanamnye, Editor-in-Chief.