It is difficult to believe that in 29 short days, I will be saying “goodbye” to college and “hello” to the real world. For me, this last semester has been the time of crazy ups and downs, alongside endless breakdowns and grieving. To put it into perspective, I created a brief timeline of trying to accept the fact that, yes, I am actually leaving this place in four weeks.
- Denial: Refusing the fact that graduation is an actual event that college students eventually have to face is a completely normal reaction. You’re trying to rationalize the overwhelming emotions that come with leaving this chapter behind. Example of graduation denial: Contemplating and devising a plan to fail some classes to be a fifth year senior.
- Anger: Throwing a fit is acceptable. Nothing seems to be going right in your classes, and you feel angry at the smallest things. Example: Your parents call to check up on your job searching progress or ask if you’ve had time to order your cap and gown, and those two questions set you off.
- Bargaining: You want to try and find a way to stay in college while also trying to teach yourself how to be an adult. Often times, people feel they need to take control over a situation that in reality they actually do not have control over, like trying to slow down the next few weeks. You tell yourself things like, “If only we had another month of school, then maybe I would have more time for this,” in order to regain control over leaving.
- Depression (current stage): Sitting with your roommates in your kitchen crying while listening to “The Graduation Song” by Vitamin C and drinking a bottle of wine because you still don’t believe you are graduating.
- Acceptance: I will get back to you once I discover how one does, in fact, accept this.
My time at Bradley is quickly coming to an end, and the next few weeks will be a challenge. At the end of the day, seniors can only tell ourselves this is the best time to soak in the last moments at Bradley before we find ourselves out in the real world.
