Once you’ve reached your final year of university, you’ll have been through your fair share of university experiences, including awkward roommate moments, library marathons, and nights you can’t remember. You’ve been through it all, so now all that’s left to do is enjoy your final hurrah. Here are some things to remember to make your last year one of the best years of your life.
- Adapt a mantra that you can use on a day-to-day basis, one that strictly applies to your university lifestyle. For example, mine is #yolo. For those of you who don’t know what #yolo means (AKA you’ve been living under a rock), #yolo is the acronym for You Only Live Once—and you know what that means! If you want to spend all afternoon snuggling with bae instead of getting a head start on your readings, then do it! If you meet individuals in your class whom you have a major friend crush on, ask them to hang out! The bottom line is, when #yolo becomes your go-to phrase for a happy life, you end up spending less time worrying and more time doing.
- Keep your relationship going strong if you are in a serious relationship. Don’t get tied down to the thoughts wandering around young people’s minds that these are the years to be single and happy. Who says you can’t be in a relationship and happy? Being in my fourth year of university myself, some of my favourite memories of university have involved my boyfriend.
- Don’t worry if you’re not in a relationship. The previous point is NOT to say that you have to be in a relationship to have a great time in university. If you haven’t been feeling any of the guys at your school, don’t worry about it. There is plenty of time in your life to find someone to put up with all of your bologna, so no need to rush things when it comes to your love life. If you’re single and mingling, this just means more time for dinners with your girlfriends.
- Go out more! This reminder may seem obvious, but when you’ve graduated and are living back in your parents’ house, you’ll regret all the nights you were too tired or too lazy to go out. Unless you have a valid excuse not to go (like you have to write a final THE NEXT MORNING AT 9 A.M. OMG), put on your favourite lipstick and pour the vodka!
- Eat whatever you want. Seriously—there are all these silly social rules that you should eat even healthier while at university, but in my eyes, these are the few years in your life where your metabolism will usually take good care of you. One of my personal favourite things to do at school is eating fast food really late at night. We’re talking pizza, McDonalds, late night sushi—you name it. There’s just something so satisfying in digging into your pepperoni slice and creamy garlic dip at 2 a.m. and remembering that when you’re 40 and married, you probably won’t be able to do this. Take advantage of your young, healthy body and fill it with all the yummy foods you can think of.
- Find your own social circle, whatever it may be. Don’t feel pressured to join half a dozen clubs to realize that your schedule probably won’t permit all the meetings, or you just do not have an interest! Just because some of your friends swear that clubs are the only way to meet friends does not mean it is true. People socialize differently and prefer other outlets to meet people—whatever works for you, do it! Friends will come naturally, however you meet them.
- Have fun in the kitchen. A lot of upper-year students get tired of cooking for themselves day in and day out, but since going out to eat every meal of the day is way too expensive, change your attitude when it comes down to the meals you create. The beauty of living away from your parents is that you get to make whatever, however, whenever. This opportunity gives you the freedom to make cheesy baked rigatoni or homemade tacos. It’s usually tough to decipher the portions when cooking for one, so at dinner there are usually a ton of leftovers for lunch the next day. Bonus!
- Don’t study hard, study smart. Many students get so wrapped up in their schoolwork that they let it consume them completely—don’t let this happen to you. If you learn the skills of efficient studying, you probably could make it out downtown by 10 p.m. Studying smart involves excellent time management skills (this means no procrastination and say adios to watching Netflix instead of writing that paper due on Monday), having set goals of what you want to accomplish that day (make a list of what you want to get done, for example, finish up the presentation and write the introduction to your essay: don’t just have a flaky mindset of what you want to do) and giving yourself breaks when you need them. If you’ve been studying for three hours straight, chances are you’re getting a little tired or bored, and getting any more work done would just be utterly painful. Take 15 or 30 minutes and watch a rerun of Gilmore Girls, or grab a snack. Studying while exhausted is no way to get stuff done!
- Dress up a little on campus. We all tend to forget the internal joy that fills us when we look good, and we know it. Recently my roommate told me that she was feeling extra happy one day because she woke up earlier, did her makeup and threw on a cute outfit. The confidence boost it gave her was a huge reason why that day went so well. Many students get lazy, especially during the colder months, and put on the same sweats and sneakers every day for lectures. Just think: waking up 15 minutes earlier to do your hair, maybe put together a fabulous ensemble, and your day could go from I’m-so-exhausted-I-need-a-sixth-cup-of-coffee-NOW to wow-there-are-so-many-things-I-could-be-worrying-about-now-but-my-outfit-is-on-point-so-I-know-I-can-handle-ANYTHING.
- Don’t take university too seriously. Sure, there will be stressful nights and times where you think everything is falling apart, but just know that people say that these four years are the best four years of your life for a reason. Try to remember that you have the rest of your life to worry and to be an adult, and only a few years of being wild and young and free. Don’t let midterm season ruin your spirit, or a tiff with your roommate throw you off your game. Focus on the freedom and the fun of living away. And most importantly, never forget to have the time of your life.
But don’t forget that there are still things that are going well in your life. It may be small things. Or things you often take for granted like a roof over your head, clean water or three steady meals every day.