Student Blog: Hello, Senior Year

Last week, I started my senior year at college and after two months of winter break, I was excited but also a little bit scared to get back to the routine. So for all of you that are in the same situation, I wrote a letter to myself and I wanted to share it with you, because I do this every year and it really helps me to keep going when things become difficult to handle or for those days when I feel lost.

Dear Silvana (or whoever is reading this),

You're now a senior. In one year, you'll hopefully be doing something you love and the fact that you'll get paid for that, is a privilege not everyone has and you need to be grateful for that but also work harder than ever. For now, don't worry if you don't have time to get a job, you are still learning lots of things, so focus on learning; if you want to try something new, do it. You're at that point where you are a student but also a young adult, so the real world is calling you but school is still holding you, take advantage of that and if you can, be a student until the very last minute.

I know you feel like you're gonna lose your mind in any second because you have projects to finish, presentations to do, essays to write and exams to pass, but you can do it, you've been doing it since elementary school, just remember that the key is to stay organized. You can't do everything from one day to another, so follow a schedule, write everything, keep your own deadline, and just like that, you'll be controlling your time, without forgetting to breathe and to take a break whenever you need to. Oh, and you have to work as part of a team ? Well, sometimes you are more comfortable with being a follower, but from time to time you'll have to become a leader. It may sound rude or cliche, but it's true that sometimes you need to do things yourself, so you can get the results you want.

Enjoy your time in school, because of the pandemic, we needed to be indoors for almost 2 years, we had to adapt our house to be our classroom, our work place, our studio, our place to exercise, our place to have fun and our place to rest, that was not an option, but now, if you have the chance to be at a real classroom, that noisy cafeteria, those cold hallways, that cool library or that crazy parking lot, take it. Even if it's just one day, go and live your last year at school in that real space, where you walk and you can say hi to an old friend or smile to that teacher you've only met through a screen, or even pet the cats that live in the campus and probably felt alone.

Having fun it's not a waste of time, keep doing what makes you happy. Keep watching a new movie every week, rewatch your favorite show if you need to, listen to new artists, listen to your favorite podcast, read that book you've wanted to read since last year, go on walks every Saturday, explore your neighborhood, hang out with your friends, make new friends, go to the city, go to the theater, visit your family and call your best friend. I know there are simple and ordinary things people do to have a nice time, but sometimes you forget to do it, and sometimes you feel guilty because you have "more important" things to do, but taking care of yourself and actually living, it's okay.

This year will not be easy, but I'm sure it will be great. Never forget why you're working so hard for, you're doing everything so one day your dreams will become your reality; everything is a process, keep yourself inspired, keep creating, keep dreaming and always keep fighting. It's a special year already, so own it.

Hope y'all have a good semester and an awesome year. If you're a senior, congratulations, we're almost done, but we still have ten months left. And if you're not, you're lucky-- write your own story and enjoy every minute.