There’s something about August at Susquehanna: the late summer sun lingering a little longer than it should, the birds singing in the trees, squirrels running across the sidewalks with pieces of food or acorns stuffed in their cheeks, the quiet buzz of students filtering back into dorms and dining halls, still sun-kissed from summer but already bracing for syllabi and 8 a.m. classes. It’s the season of in-betweens, still summer, but not quite. It’s a beginning, but somehow, it’s an ending too.
It hasn’t fully hit me yet. I’m a senior again, but as an undergrad this time. Somehow, some way, I made it here, through burnout, back-to-back semesters, late nights writing until my fingers cramped, and early mornings when I didn’t think I could keep going. I’ve cried in library bathrooms, laughed until my stomach hurt in dorms, and traveled to different states and countries. I’ve grown so much that I barely recognize the version of me who stepped onto campus freshman year.
Now, I’m here, on the edge of what’s next, thinking about the next step in my life’s journey. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want out of this final year of undergrad, and what I want to do with my life before taking the next step to grad school. So, instead of just sharing some of my academic goals for this year, I also want to share the ways I’m working toward becoming a better version of myself as a student and as an individual.
I’ve been asking myself: Who am I becoming this year? What parts of myself need healing, attention, or rest? What would it mean to end this school year successfully? Would I be proud of myself? Not only about what I did, but also proud of how I treated myself and those around me?
After deliberating for a while, here are some of the goals I have for myself as I move through senior year:
Academic Goals
- Graduate in May with both of my majors (Creative Writing and Legal Studies)
- Apply to 10 law schools by December
- Keep my 3.3+ GPA, but not at the expense of my health
Professional Goals
- Keep mentoring with TRiO
- Keep leading the Pre-Law Society as the president
- Apply for gap-year jobs in my fields (back-up plan)
Personal Goals
- Focus on joy and stability
- Prioritize rest
- Honesty is the best policy
Socially
- Nurture friendships that feel like home
- Let go of connections that drain me
- Carve out time to spend with loved ones
Honestly, I’m done trying to measure my success by how much I can handle without burning out or breaking down. I want this school year to be more about bringing myself back into alignment before heading off into the “real world.”
If you’re reading this as a first-gen student, especially if you’re still an underclassman, I want to leave you with this advice:
You don’t have to sprint into the semester trying to prove your worth or get it all done at once. I know what that pressure feels like. I’ve lived in it for years. However, let me be the one to tell you that you’re allowed to move slower. You’re allowed to take up space without being perfect.
Ask for help before things collapse or change. Rest before it becomes survival. Never forget that you’re allowed to want more than just to make it through the semester. You can have goals and ambitions without letting them swallow you whole.
I know you can do it, because I’ve done it before, and many others before and after us have done it or will do it. I hope you’re all able to achieve the goals you set out to do this school year as well. Here’s to the start of a great fall semester!
– Toni <3