Congratulations on making it to the end of your final year! Not long now til you’re in your graduation gown with the degree you’ve worked so hard for firmly in your hand. However, the journey isn’t over yet so here are a couple of things you should do in your final term…
- Make career plans
Let’s start with the obvious. Soon the sanctuary of university will be a distant memory, replaced with the real world and its ever difficult-to-conquer job market. Maybe you already have a job lined up after graduation, in which case, congratulations! However, if not, now is the time to make some plans. It doesn’t have to be an intense five year diagram of exactly what you want to do and how you’re gonna get there. Instead, why not just grab a pen and paper and make a note of your ideas or potential plans. Perhaps you know what area you’d like to work in but don’t have concrete career ideas yet. Maybe you want to travel, study, volunteer or just take a well-earned break. Whatever it is, spare some time in your final term to work out your next move and you won’t feel so overwhelmed after graduation.
- Use career services
Now is the time to make use of the various services and resources available to you at your uni, so make sure you pay them a visit, even if it’s just for some friendly guidance on graduate life. Remember, the staff at careers services are used to helping graduates in various situations so even if you don’t have a clue what direction you’re planning on heading in post-graduation, there will be advice and helpful resources that these services can provide.
- Make fun plans
Keeping in touch with friends from uni can be tough, even with social media and Skype at your fingertips. The end of your final term will mean saying goodbyes to lots of people and you’re likely to find yourself saying things like “we’ll have to meet up sometime soon” etc. Unfortunately, making plans to meet up in the future is much more difficult over the internet and it can be hard to find the time when everyone has different schedules. So why not make firm plans while you can still speak to each other in person? It could be a holiday or trip over the summer, or even just a weekend reunion in your uni town?
- Soak up the sights
Go for a walk around your university campus and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the various memories come flooding back. During your final exams you’re most likely sick of the sight of the library, however, when your studies are over you will proudly remember all those hours spent revising and how familiar your campus felt. Therefore, why not pay a final visit to all your favourite spots on campus, even if only as a tribute to all your time spent working hard. If you’ll be leaving your uni town after graduation, don’t forget to pay one final visit to some of your favourite haunts – you’ll miss them when you’re gone!
- Prepare for graduation day
The time has come – whip out your measuring tape and get your head sized up for your mortarboard! With all the stress of exams and final deadlines, it’s easy to forget the little things which need to be done before you can get your hands on your degree. So make sure you’ve confirmed your graduation day attendance, you’ve ordered your gown and you know when and where you need to be on the day.
- Pass on your wisdom
After this final term you will – exams results pending – officially be a graduate with a wealth of knowledge on your university and student life. Therefore, do a good deed and use your experience to help out those just starting their university years. You could help out at open days, give advice to younger siblings/friends etc about to become freshers or even just have a friendly chat with students visiting your campus. Starting university can be a daunting experience, therefore, soon-to-be-freshers may appreciate some words of wisdom from a recent graduate.
- Keep a souvenir
It could be a photo of you and your mates, a university t-shirt or hoodie, a yearbook or even just a favourite mug. Keep it safe and in years to come you’ll appreciate having kept something special from your student life.
- Say thank you
You’ve worked hard and deserve to feel extremely proud of your success, but it’s unlikely you got there all by yourself. Make sure you take the time to thank those who have supported you through your studies, whether it’s your parents, friends or lecturer’s etc. If there’s a particular lecturer who went the extra mile to help you out – maybe assisting with coursework or supervising your dissertation – then let them know how much you appreciated their input.
- Have one final crazy night
Grab your friends, blast the music, make some cocktails and celebrate the end of your university years. Alternatively, if you prefer a calmer scene to that of the bars and clubs, why not have a cosy night in with your friends – order some food, put a film on and reminisce about the previous years. However you choose to celebrate, have an awesome time and never forget the hard work and determination that got you to your final term.