It’s my final semester of college, and it may be yours, too. You’ve most likely been reflecting on your time here in Gainesville, and you may have been left with some bittersweet feelings. The last four years of your life are behind you. They’ve become the past without you even realizing it. If you’re like me, it makes sense that you’re feeling uneasy about the future. It doesn’t matter if you’re graduating with a job, starting graduate school or if you have no idea what your next step is, graduation can still be scary. At some point, you may find yourself experiencing something I like to call the “senior funk.”
The senior funk is a feeling graduating seniors get when it’s time to leave university. These feelings encompass many different things. The most common can be fear. For the past four years, you have spent your days conforming to a schedule you’ve created for yourself. You have always had a class to get to, homework to do, a club meeting to attend and a social life to maintain. But all of that, in a sense, is ending. Your year won’t be broken up into semesters anymore and breaks will no longer be scheduled. What will you do? If you’re anything like me, you’ll have a few mental breakdowns over the course of your quickly ending senior year. Adapting to a new life can be scary, but at the same time, it’s OK to be afraid. It means something exciting could be around the corner. Don’t shy away from the fear, follow it.
You may also be excited. For some of you, the end of your undergrad career means the end of school. There will be no more all-nighters in Library West, no more advising meetings to attend and no more 3-hour-long classes to sit through. This is something to be celebrated. Although you’re scared about what you’ll be doing next, you should be happy you have tackled this phase of your life. You did it. You may not have done it with flying colors, but who cares? You’ve got your degree, and you are graduating. Don’t let anything dull your excitement. Celebrate!
Another part of the senior funk is the sadness that goes along with it. You can’t help your gloom when thinking about all of the wonderful people you have met while in college and will eventually leave behind. You have fond memories and have built wonderful connections. It won’t be the same once you leave, and that can be upsetting. As crazy as it seems, it can also be sad leaving Gainesville. It’s a place you have started to call home. There’s a familiar pang in your chest when you think about what you’re letting go. When this happens, keep in mind you’re not really letting anything go. Florida and your loved ones will still be there for you once you leave. Think about it like this: You’re simply starting a new chapter of your life. No one said your friends can’t be part of that new chapter.
Now that you are aware of your senior funk, here are a few ways to fight it while starting the next phase of your life. Senioritis is real. Once you graduate, it can be hard to find a routine. However, don’t get lazy. You should create and stick to a schedule. Graduating with your undergrad degree does not mean it’s time to get lazy. If anything, it’s time to prove yourself. You should show your ambition in your new job or if you aren't working, use your new freedom to be productive.
Next, don’t stay in your apartment all day and night. Put yourself out there. You need to get outside and meet new people. You can go for a walk or run. You can join a local fitness group or a book club. It can be hard to make friends as an adult. Find a hobby you’re interested in, and join a group involving that hobby. Get to know your new neighborhood, and interact with new people.
Lastly, don’t forget about your loved ones. When we start our new life after undergrad, it can be easy to just focus on that. But don’t forget the promise you made to keep in touch with your college friends and give your family a call from time to time. Don’t let the senior funk get the best of you. If you find yourself feeling funky, snap out of it. Remember you’ve adapted once, and you can do it again.
Anede Siffort is a UF journalism senior. Her column appears on Fridays.
