My Last Semester

When Mansfield ended face-to-face instruction in March, I found myself quite disoriented, as many other students were. It was heightened, for me, because I was half-way through my second-to-last semester. Once the semester passed into summer, I found myself wondering daily what my final semester, this semester, would look like. I had the sneaking suspicion that my classes would not be face-to-face, but as the semester drew closer, there was no word of the school being closed to students. So, I moved my belongings into my room on the campus. But my suspicions confirmed two weeks later, and I moved them out to begin my final semester at home. 

Having finished all my core requirements for my major, I saw this final semester as a chance for me to take whatever classes I liked and have fun with the choices. While the past few weeks have given me that, this semester has also been more difficult than even last semester was. As I work towards finishing my degree, I often find myself looking ahead to this December and what will happen after I have graduated. In the current state of the world, the idea of beginning a career or continuing my education seems even more overwhelming than it ever did before. What should have been an exciting time for seniors has become a stressful one. 

And yet, despite all of the uncertainty, this semester has also been one of encouragement for me. While the world and all that is happening are new and stressful, the fact remains that this is my last semester, my final step in a long, papers-filled journey. In the beginning, college was new and stressful, just as things are now, but I believe that it did nothing but help me grow. December, I believe, will be the same.