It’s a feeling most students know all too well. The winter slump can be attributed to more than just seasonal depression. For the lucky few on co-op: Congratulations, six months off from classes. You’ll be back. For me, I am looking down the barrel of actually having time off – for the rest of my life if I’m not lucky. That’s right, I’m a senior.For seniors, the final few months of classes can seem daunting and it’s easy to fall into a slump. I just received a letter from career services congratulating me on reaching the home stretch of senior year – an email that scared me more than I believe was intended. That was the quickest five years I have ever experienced. School doesn’t have the same importance it once did. Maybe it’s the cold, maybe it’s senioritis times two (five-year school, folks), or maybe it’s because I’m only going half-time this semester and using the rest of my time to sling burgers on Newbury Street. Either way, it seems that my senior brethren and I are all caught off guard by impending graduation – a feeling I’m sure comes every year to every senior. Sure, I’ve daydreamed about getting out of school and going off to live my dream job globe-trotting for The Associated Press or The New York Times, having so many stamps in my passport I need to get pages added. But now that I am finally trying to achieve that dream job, I feel like a first-year student all over again, asking advisors what to do with my life and fearing I’ll be writing “cat up a tree” stories for the rest of my life.I guess I still have some time, the semester is just beginning and there is still so much promise for me. At least I hope. I guess I have a few favors to call in from old co-op bosses. I should probably find a professional job at some point. I’m engaged and would like to get married sometime before old age sets in. Don’t even get me started on the planning process – that’s a whole other column. Did I mention I haven’t registered for one of my classes yet? Welcome to senior year. Five months from now I should be throwing a cap in the air and crying for my future at the same time. My lease is up in the summer, too.
At least then I can go to California and get out of the cold.
