Congratulations on being a final year student in college. You’re in the homestretch of achieving your diploma and moving on with your adult life. It probably seems like time has gone by so fast. Well, you can expect the last year to be even faster. As you prepare to enjoy this last year in college and make the transition, here are some tips you should follow to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible while having fun.
Have a Clear Head
As a final year student, you have a lot on your plate. Make sure that you keep a clear head as much as possible so that you don’t make any mistakes that can create troublesome setbacks. Whatever you do, get a good night’s sleep as much as possible. According to the Sleep Foundation, adults should get 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep each night. Failure to do so could result in life as a final year student with weight issues, fatigue, inflammation, and anxiety.
With so much on your plate, you may find yourself very anxious and amped up, which can affect your sleep and inability to relax. If that’s the case, you may want to look into a local cheap marijuana doctor who can help you. After all, CBD is known for relaxation and helping people to sleep better.
While cramming for exams or having late-night parties are part of a typical college existence, especially in the last year, getting your rest is just as vital. So make sure that your college apartment or dorm has comfortable bedding at all times. Keep your linens freshly washed and switch out your pillows so that your head has proper support. Do what you can to block out noise at night so you won’t be awoken when you’re in your REM sleep state. If you must move during your final year, that may be the best solution to ensure you can rest, work, and commute timely.
Maintain Your Mental Health
Mental health is important at any age, especially when you’re a final year student in college. As you make this transition, you’re bound to be under a lot of stress that you’ll put yourself under. You may be worried about competing for the Deans list, moving to the city of your choice, maintaining college relationships, as well as finding a new job. With so much pressure, anyone can develop the wrong coping mechanisms.
If you find your mental health slipping during this time, take advantage of your campus’ behavioral health services. If you are not satisfied with care, you can always seek out behavioral services off campus. If you’re worried about paying for it, as a college student, you often get discounts and can use your campus medical insurance at other facilities in your network.
So don’t be afraid to take advantage of going to a psychiatrist or group therapy. After all, other people may also be dealing with the same problems you have. So if you need to manage depression or fight against substance abuse, you have medical professionals on and off campus who can help you.
Stay Away From Hard Drugs
It comes to coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and preventing boredom, do what you can to avoid hard drugs. It’s no secret that college parties can provide easy access to substances that people may find fun. However, hard drugs aren’t fun. They’re highly addictive and can ruin your life. Going down the path of drug addiction would not only affect your brain cells and physical health, but it can also end up draining your finances. If you worked hard to stay in college and get a good degree, getting addicted during your final year student time isn’t the way to go.
Maybe you decided to experiment with hard drugs like fentanyl, heroin, meth, cocaine, crack and others. Maybe you thought you would just try it one time, and now you find yourself battling an addiction. If this sounds like you, don’t be afraid to go to a detox center. You can get help for your substance abuse issues both on and off campus. Detox centers can help with in and outpatient care. As in outpatient, you’ll be able to go there for help but go home at the end of the session. However, inpatient care means that you’ll stay overnight for a week, a month, or longer, depending on how extreme your problem is.
Plan a Fun Post-Grad Trip
School just started up again. But before you know it, it’s going be summertime again and you’ll be a postgrad. So now is the time to begin planning a fun postgraduate trip to celebrate your hard work. You could plan a solo trip, one with your family or one with other graduating friends. Life as a final year student will involve a lot of work, so make sure you’ll be able to celebrate in style once you have that degree in your hand.
Do you consider yourself a good driver? Why not plan a road trip with friends? instead of loading up your car tightly why don’t you plan on renting an RV? Go to a local RV shop to check out the choices that they have. RV’s come in all sizes and models. One of the great things about taking an RV trip is you won’t have to pay for hotel rooms. You can also save money by cooking In the RV itself.
So if you’ll be a postgraduate on a budget, investing in an RV trip with family or friends is a great way to save money while also having a good time. If you’ve never seen America in full bloom, an RV is a perfect way to take a cross-country trip and see all the different regions of this vast nation. However, you can also go abroad and rent an RV once you land on another continent like Europe.
Make Life Improvements
As a final year student, you have plenty to think about. Did you put on the freshman 15 as many college students do? It’s very easy to gain weight in college and develop other unhealthy habits since you’re away from home for the first time and still learning how to manage life on your own. Has college meant eating more fast food than normal and not getting all the exercise that you should have because you were too busy studying for exams or partying? Now is the time to make a positive change.
Most college campuses have some type of gym. If you haven’t made it a habit to go yet, now is the time to begin your workout routine. If the college gym is too tight or unwelcoming for you, you can always move your workout to the outdoors. There’s nothing like being in nature and going for walks, runs, and bike rides. Your college campus more than likely has bike trails that you can take advantage of. And bike rentals are more affordable and accessible than ever due to their popularity as more people want to reduce their carbon footprint and avoid traffic by driving less.
Celebrate Your Success
A domestic or trip abroad isn’t the only way to celebrate the end of your journey in college. You can celebrate the entire year as it leads up to graduation. Of course, the summer you graduate is when the real fun and big party can begin. Plan more get-togethers with friends while you guys are still in the same vicinity at college. After all, after graduation. You and your other college buddies may not see each other as much as you were able to while being on campus together. You could start celebrating your last year’s success by meeting up for a nice meal at a local steakhouse. Plan some trips to the spa for massage and facials.
Of course, it’s never too late to start planning your graduation party. While your parents may have something in store for you, take matters into your own hands to ensure you and your friends have a rocking party that you have control over as well. You can plan your final graduation party a week or two before everyone walks across the stage. After all, if you wait until after graduation for an official campus party with friends, some people may not be available, as people may be leaving town, going back home, or starting their summer breaks at different times.
Apply for Jobs
Saying goodbye to college life usually means saying hello to full-time work in the real world. With so much competition for jobs and the economy being in a less-than-favorable state, make sure you start your final year student time by applying for as many jobs as possible. Depending on your college schedule, you may be able to begin working part-time or freelance for a company of choice before you graduate. Of course, you should also consider starting your own business, which more people are doing these days. Even if you’re not ready to fully be your own boss, starting a side hustle may be a good way to not only have some income coming. Who knows, one day your side hustle may turn into a full-fledged business, as has happened to many other people..
Depending on your major, it may not be so simple to immediately have a job upon or soon after graduation. So you may want to consider alternative work that can at least bring income in or can help you build different skills. Take for example construction. There’s always construction going on since more cities are constantly developing more residential properties to house the swelling population. So you may want to apply to be a local demolition contractor. Maybe you want to do office work or take a chance by starting your own YouTube channel.
Make Good Financial Decisions
It’s no secret that college isn’t exactly cheap or free. Even if you were lucky enough to get a scholarship And have support from your parents throughout your college life. Now is the time that you’ll have to fully manage your finances. Without access to a college dorm or apartment, you have to ensure you have money for your standalone apartment or house. Plus, you’ll no longer be able to benefit from college student discounts.
Making good financial decisions should involve saving money, starting some type of investment, and watching what you spend your disposable income on. One splurge you shouldn’t feel guilty about may involve personalized jewelry. After all, as a final year student, you may want a beautiful class ring that represents your school and the year you graduated.
Maintain Your Vehicle
Are you in a city where you have reliable public transportation? If not, then you need to make sure that you maintain your car. That means keeping up with your auto insurance policy and making sure that you get regular auto detailing. Take your car in for regular inspections and timely repairs as needed so that you don’t risk your car breaking down at the wrong time. Make sure you have access to a reliable auto body collision repair service in case you have such an accident or breakdown.
Consider Graduate Studies
Last but not least, maybe graduate studies are for you. Instead of stressing out over applying for jobs and starting your career immediately. Going for a Master’s or PhD may be the right step for you. Depending on your career path, it actually may be required. If you plan to teach at the college level or become a doctor, more formal schooling will be required. Do you have dreams of becoming a criminal attorney? If so, then you should start applying to law school before your time as a final year student ends.
Completing college is an amazing feat. After years of school, cramming late nights, fun parties, and new friends, you’ll have amazing memories to look back upon. Plus, you’re taking steps to create a future for you that will hopefully be lucrative. Hopefully, the above list will provide steps to make your time as a final year student successful and happy.
