Home Stretch

By Corinne Feight

One week from today will mark the beginning of my last month as a senior at Purdue University. I still don’t think that I have fully wrapped my head around the fact that I will no longer be going to school. Don’t get me wrong. I cannot wait to get out there, move into an apartment, live in New York City, and kick off working at a new job; however, I think I’ll really miss this time in my life and the constant I’ve had here of being around thousands of people the exact same age as me. Still, my musings aren’t making the days go by any slower and it really is time to start the countdown to my graduation on May 12. So what should all of the other seniors like me be doing during our last month? Here are a couple of things I plan to accomplish…maybe some will work for you.

1.     Soak up the resources. As many of us know (or should!), Purdue is a huge resource to students. Well in just a few short weeks all of those resources will no longer be at our fingertips. Now is the time to capitalize on all that this university has to offer. Stop by the CCO or the Writing Lab. Make an appointment with your Career Development Director. Talk with your advisors about people to be in contact with after graduation. All of these people are at your disposal to help you finalize your cover letters and resumes, provide the guidance toward career paths, and put you in touch with mentors or advocates. Use them while you still can!

2.     No regrets. Many of you probably know about the Purdue Bucket List, but for those who don’t you had better read up and get started! Start here, but don’t stop at just 12: https://foursquare.com/user/12677181/list/purdue-graduate-bucket-list. What about climbing the new rock wall in the Dova? Or sledding on Slayter Hill? After the snow we had last night and today, this week could just be the one you have been waiting for. It’s easy to forget about all these traditions when your stuck in classrooms and study rooms all day, but don’t leave regretting anything!

3.     Don’t burn bridges. Our campus holds over 40,000 students alone. This doesn’t even include all of the professors and other professionals on campus too! Don’t think that once you graduate you should never talk to these people again. Everyone you meet is going somewhere, many places that they don’t even know yet. You never know when you might run into someone in the future who could help you out. What if they are working at the company you applied to? Or if they are in the same field? Burning bridges never gets you anywhere. Keep up healthy contacts and make an effort to help others even if it doesn’t immediately benefit you in any way. These deeds and connections will eventually come back and repay you.

Use Purdue for all it’s worth before you leave…I plan to! These are just my goals and plans, but they could really make the difference in the long run to anyone willing to participate. So get out there and abuse these privileges! Let’s make this last month count.