The even semester has begun, and so has the countdown to live your life as the final-year college students.
‘Knock knock’
‘Who’s there?’
‘Your last semester is here’
These must be hard-hitti ng lines for every third-year student right now. Applications, entrance exams, scholarships, internships, placements, interviews, and expectations-these are the words which define the life of a final year student. Most of us are stuck with the question of “Aage kya karna hai” (What should I do in future?). Days pass by and we still can’t find an answer to it. Most students define the last year of their college as stressful and exhausting. Some of us are applying for a job, some are preparing for entrance exams, and some are still trying to figure it out. With the beginning of the last semester of your college life, it is important to take a step back, breathe, and relax. If I look back, I don’t know how these three years passed by.
It is said that college really transforms you. It feels like yesterday when we were filling out the registration form to be a part of the University. Remember how we entered college with heavy bags of expectations and immaturity? First-year goes by completing assignments, attending morning lectures, and ‘trying to fit in the university culture’. The second-year brings about a more settled person in you. You are no longer a ‘fresher’ now, you are probably the one giving advice to the ‘freshers’. By the beginning of third-year, you have transformed into a mature, responsible adult, making decisions for yourself. The final-year of college is an emotional roller coaster ride, where your life will revolve around the happiness of graduating, and the sadness of leaving your college life behind. This phase is often accompanied by self-doubt, anxiety, insecurities, and nostalgia. Everyone around you will have only one question: ‘What next?’, and before you realize, you are already sailing in the sea of disquietude.
So how to keep yourself calm in this storm? My only advice will be to take one step at a ti me. Francis Assisi quoted, “Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” I think this is probably the solution we are looking for. Most of us are also stuck in the dilemma of whether to pursue a Master’s degree or a job. While all of us have preferences, this decision is extremely important and can define how your life shapes up. Enlist the pros and cons, talk to your family and friends. Don’t take such critical decisions in haste. As a final-year student, there are some important lessons that I would like to share with the juniors. Firstly, utilise the ti me you have in your college days. Take up any activity which helps you build contacts, be it joining the Placement Cell of your college or a work from home internship. College is the best ti me to build your resume. Secondly, use the internet for activities that do not involve Netflix and Instagram. You can probably set-up your LinkedIn profile or enroll yourself in an online course. Participate and attend events or gatherings. The events don’t have to be related to your field of study. It can also be a seminar on the involvement of youth in politics or a talk on a completely different subject like Botany. Lastly, give yourself some ti me and space. Most of us while struggling with applications and placements, forget enjoying the last year as a college student. Sometimes we make ourselves “too busy” to enjoy the moments we will cherish once we graduate. Don’t forget to live the wholesome experience of the University of Delhi. In the end, my fellow thirdyear students, whether you have figured it out or are still clueless, remember to breathe. Take each day as it comes.
Anoushka Sharma
