College is a unique place. It can be a place to start anew, find yourself, find a group of life-long friends, discover your passions, and so much more. It is an environment to fully embrace individuality and freedom. We can let loose and make plans on a whim while also gaining the responsibilities of having a job and paying for rent. College years are marked with the color and vibrance of youth and the early formations of patterns that resemble adulthood.
Alumni and my family friends always tell me, “Savor your college years, you can never get them back.” In response, I wave them off and give them the typical, “Yeah, yeah I know,” which I now understand was ignorant. There have been times where I wish I were graduated and working in industry — having real-people money and evenings free of assignments due at midnight. While I do look forward to life after graduation, I still wish I had more time at Stevens because so much of my college experience was online.
I’m thankful that I am here for an additional semester so that I can enjoy the Stevens experience for a little bit longer. I was committed to the Advances Master’s Program (AMP), regardless of the pandemic. Many of the current seniors are now pursuing Master’s degrees as well because they want their college experience extended. I feel that there are more seniors than not pursuing AMP because the pandemic has robbed them of their experience. There are some who are enthralled in campus life, going to club events left and right, and others that are simply happy to be in Hoboken, close to their friends they haven’t seen in months.
Being able to grab lunch, coffee, or a drink with a friend is something so small, yet so meaningful. It isn’t just the in-person classes that were missed, it was the ambiance of college life. Running into friends or even acquaintances on campus was something so minuscule yet so conspicuous in the definition of a college experience. By taking an extra year, seniors are granting themselves more time to make up for what was lost, while pursuing a degree that will give them a leg up in their job search.
Pursuing a second degree is a big feat and should be a decision handled with thought. It gives you the opportunity to learn more about a subject you’re interested in, and it also pushes you further in your job search. Gaining that extra year or semester on campus is a bonus to the degree.
I find it interesting that so many people who were initially ready to graduate are now staying an extra year. Getting two degrees in 5 years is incredible, especially from a high-ranking university. It makes us more marketable but also lets us savor our college years a little bit longer.
For those of you who still have a year or more to go, as my alumni friends said to me, enjoy your college years like they’re your last. Make as many memories and connections as possible and capitalize on the resources that are at your fingertips. Cherish it.
Senioritis is an Opinion column written by one or two Stevens student(s) in their last year of study to discuss life experiences during their final year at Stevens, and other related subject matter.
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