While you’re in the midst of your senior year, and even before, it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of school, work, and possibly drama. Under all the stress, its common to just wish you were done. Also, in a perfect world, you’d so excited to begin your professional career and tell yourself, “I can’t wait to graduate.”

Even now, I say this a lot. I am so excited to see what’s next for me. I have been at Gannon for five years and graduation is rapidly approaching. I have to keep reminding myself to take advantage of the time I have left.

It’s important to do so, because, as many alumni would agree, once you graduate and enter the “real world,” you really start to miss your college days. While it may seem difficult on a day-to-day basis, your college years will most likely be a really happy time that you’ll look back on and miss. Why would you want to wish that away?

I already know this will be my case in a few years. Recently, I’ve found myself  reminiscing on particular moments from my college experience and wishing they hadn’t flown by so quickly. Nights spent laughing with my friends in the lounge freshman year, RA training during sophomore year, sisterhood events when I first joined my sorority, all of the leadership positions that came and went. These moments were all so impactful, and I didn’t even realize it at the time. The thought of closing this chapter to open a new one is bittersweet.

That being said, my advice to you is this:

Thank your friends for the moments you’ve cherished.

Thank your mentors for making your experience at Gannon meaningful.

Spend time with your friends, both old and new.

Obviously, work hard to keep your grades up during your final semesters, but don’t forget to celebrate your time while you’re still here.

Live in the moment and don’t take a single second for granted.