We’ve all heard of the five stages of grief and dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. You may be wondering where the hell this editorial is headed right now, but if you think about it, the life cycle of a college student directly correlates to these five stages.
Denial – Think about freshman year. It’s all about learning the ropes and figuring out a balance between work and play. Most of our scales tip towards the “play” side. We deny the ever-present responsibility of living on our own.
Anger – “Shit! I hate my teacher, it’s not fair. I totally should have gotten at least a C on that test.” It’s easy to blame our poor study skills and lack of motivation on a “mean” teacher, but the truth is, you probably should have studied a little harder.
Bargaining – “I’ll do anything if you let me pass…and I mean anything” We’ve all been there before, begging and pleading for one last extra credit opportunity to boost that grade.
Depression – “What’s the point of studying now, there’s only two hours before the test and I know nothing, I’m screwed either way.” Depression once again comes around in full force in the beginning of a senior’s last semester.
Acceptance – By the end of senior year, you’ve accepted your fate. “I can’t avoid real life, I may as well prepare for it.”
For those seniors out there, the end is near. This fantasy we’ve been living for the past four (maybe five) years is about to conclude. On May 15, we’ll be standing face to face with the first day of the rest of our lives.
Congratulations and good luck.