Last Semester Senior

I began my last semester of college with a lack of motivation. Typically, the weekend before the semester starts I purchase school supplies, research the most cost-effective book rentals, and plan out every day in my agenda before classes even start. For my final semester at Purdue, and with a schedule of only twelve credit hours, I prepared by planning when the best time would be to fit my workouts in throughout the week and which books I want to take the time to read before graduation. Looking back to that time about one month ago, I know for certain that the security and comfort of already having a job lined up after graduation was largely contributing to my oddly unmotivated lifestyle.

I worked very hard these past three and a half years, and having a job lined up before even starting my final semester felt extremely rewarding. I knew I would pass my classes with ease, even if I was not trying my best, and I knew I had the opportunity to make the most of my social life. After a couple of weeks of feeling unsatisfied with completing the bare minimum to get by, I felt an emptiness. All at once, it seemed, I knew I had begun to start missing my busy schedules and hours of working on standout assignments.

It is so important to work hard during your last semester of college. While it is tempting to ignore academic responsibilities, it is also important to remember what got me the job that waits for you after graduation—hard work. Dedication and motivation sometimes lack when one notices a simpler, less stressful path to graduating, but with that path lacks rewards. With a new mindset, I decided to involve myself in an extra curricular public relations campaign a professor approached me about and focus on my internships while balancing time for friends. There is no reason to not leave this last semester without giving it my best.