Your End Of The Year Checklist

By Lev Novak

It’s the end of the year.

No, not December 31st- it’s the end of the real year. It’s the end of the college year and depending on the year you’re in, there’s a list of things you have to do.

1. Freshmen

Count down the days to the end of the year. You will be a Sophomore soon, and that’s the start of being an actual person. Freshman year had its ups and downs- forgive your mistakes, but correct them. A stupid Freshman is acceptable and expected, but a Sophomore acting stupid is a whole different thing. You had a whole year of college living now, so make sure you correct your mistakes going forward.

For the summer, either travel or do an internship. Don’t spend it just with your high-school friends, but don’t leave them hanging either. It’s about balance, with one central gem to push you forward into Sophomore year.

2. Sophomore.

Don’t tell everyone how old you feel now that college is halfway over. Nobody likes to hear that, least of all people who have actually graduated.

You have plenty of time, my friend.

Take stock of what you’ve done in the first half and figure out how you want to advance. You absolutely need to get on your housing now; you’re going to be a Junior now, and it’s time to spread your wings and fly off campus. Fortunately, our site can help.

For the summer: if you’ve already had an internship, get a paid internship or a summer job where you can hang with friends and have the money to do cool things. An internship with a summer job is a good one-two and it’ll help to have some income. Back-to-back unpaid internships are a little much- spend some time having fun and getting money.

3. Junior

Don’t panic.

Yes you’re going to be a Senior, but that’s not that crazy. You’ve had three full years of college- that’s a lifetime of experience and growth. Think of who you were in high-school versus now- and you still have an extra year to enjoy and grow further.

You’re doing fine. Just don’t panic.

You’re going to want to make sure you have everything in order for the year, but for a more ambitious way than before. Do you have an N64? Good. What about a car for road-trips? Awesome. A sleeping bag for adventures? Excellent. Stock up on the objects that make ambition easier and watch your year get transformed.

For the summer: if you followed the plan above (and didn’t study abroad you’ve had an internship followed by either a summer job or a paid internship. That means you have the resume and the money to do something different. Go abroad. Trips. See friends and have adventures. Fill your time with other activities, ideally something that looks good on a resume and pays a little (a month as a summer camp counselor? A month volunteering for something you care about?) and fill the rest with adventures. Real ones. Ones with plane tickets.

Take it while you can.

4. Seniors

Don’t read this unless you’re graduating.

Seriously.

You ready?

Welcome to the real world, kiddo. It’s…it’s pretty bad. But it had to happen. College doesn’t last forever and now, and you’ve been thrust into a life with debt and worry and jobs that are way more difficult than two classes a day.

All you have to do is not freak out.

Really. It’s normal to feel worried, lonely, depressed or scared. Everyone does for an entire year after graduating. Sounds bad, right? It is. It’s the worst, but misery loves company. You won’t be alone, and it gets better the longer you go.

This summer: just don’t freak out. Things will be fine. People worse than you have survived life after college, after all. You will too.

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