As I sat in my first class of the semester, it dawned on me that this would be the last time I would ever listen to my professor list off our agenda for the semester from the syllabus. It is also the last time I’ll run into my friends while passing through the quad, asking how their break was and listening eagerly. And somehow, the classic “we need to catch up and get lunch” seems more sincere.
As the semester commences, it begins a slew of the first “lasts” we seniors will experience. It’s something that can be hard to grasp. And whether you choose to embrace it or ignore it, you’ll have to own up to it at some point. As a recently retired Editor-in-Chief, I am exploring how the Class of 2025 is handling this transition. Interviewing a group of seniors, this column will shine some light into the sentiments of our graduating class.
This week, a simple yet daunting question was posed to our seniors: “Are you ready?” Are you ready for graduation? Ready to leave behind your friends? Ready to move on?
For some, the daunting nature of these questions brings about some trepidation.
“No. I am very scared to join the workforce,” senior Shay McDowell shared. “Especially because every adult I talk to is, like, ‘Yeah, it sucks good luck.’ And I have no scheduled winter or summer breaks for the rest of my life basically. I have the summer off before starting my job, which is awesome, but it also feels very final, like a countdown. Like this is the last summer, and that scares me.”
For those who find graduation intimidating, making the best of senior year is key.
“I’m a very nostalgic person, and I know I’ll look back and regret not appreciating senior year more, even if I appreciate it now to the best of my ability,” McDowell shared. “I feel like I only just got to Villanova and now I have to go, and there’s so much more I would’ve liked to do here, honestly, if I had time.”
Senior Hannah Sweeney shared similar sentiments, feeling quite scared to leave her beloved college years behind her.
“I have really mixed feelings about graduation,” Sweeney said. “In a way, I sometimes feel like I am aging out of college and ready for more independence. That being said, 99% of the time, I am dreading graduation. Villanova is, like, a perfect bubble and I am scared to face reality.”
While these seniors are looking to the past and present, others look to the future, eager to let go. Villanova has prepared them to leave their home behind to embrace new beginnings.
“I’m ready,” senior AnNa Hughes said. “I’m ready to go and I’m excited for the real world. I am eager to challenge the friendships I’ve made as they turn into long-distance friendships. I want to see how it all works out and who sticks around. And I’m excited not to be sick every five minutes, as one is on a college campus.”
Senior Patricia Cancio reflected on her past and echoed the same feelings.
“I am ready to graduate,” she said. “Even though these four years went by so fast, I think I am ready to move on to another chapter of my life.”
Whether you’re holding on for dear life or have your hands up in the air, it can certainly be said that this is a bittersweet time for seniors. It’s not quite closing time yet, so anchor in the present and enjoy every moment.
