Coming back to school for a fifth year has become more and more frequent for students – whether it’s in high school or college. In fact, with college transfers, major changes, or external factors make coming back for a fifth year sometimes necessary. Whether it’s because you’re an athlete who was unable to take a full course load throughout college, needed to take additional classes to graduate, or just needed an extra year to figure everything out – a fifth year of college is a lot for anyone to handle. Sure, it has its ups and you get to avoid adulthood for one more year but at the end of the day, it’s still a struggle. As someone who graduated in fourth year but came back due to personal reasons, I feel it. Below are the eight woes that every fifth year senior has gone through:
- “YAS!”
First, there are no woes and you think things will be greater than ever especially since it’s officially your final year. Things are starting off great – you got to avoid adulthood for a year, you have space to take classes that you couldn’t before, and you swear this is your year. It feels like a finality and you’re determined to go out with a bang…until reality hits.
- “Why Did I Come Back?”
Fast forward to your first midterm and you start questioning why you’re back. Sure, you know all the logical reasons of why you decided to come back but you start questioning why you’re even there. You thought you’d ace everything after four years of practice but you’re still struggling.
- “I Don’t Have To Be Here.”
The more you think about it, the more you realize you could have avoided this entire situation. If only you took classes during the summer, didn’t transfer, change your major, or fail that class – you would have been out in time. College suddenly feels like prison. You rationalize and try to convince yourself that you’re here for a reason but at this point in the semester, you just couldn’t care less.
- “All This Money Down The Drain.”
The more time you spend in college, the more you realize just how much another year of school is. Not only is it another year of tuition you’re paying for, it’s another year of club fees, textbooks, residence, and social activities – 9 more months of partying it up like a college student adds up.
- “Who Are These People?”
Chances are that many of your friends graduated and are off doing “one of those job things”. You probably only have a select few to coordinate class and break schedules with and you’re forced to either a) make new school friends or b) suck it up and text all your friends while being alone.
- “Why Are My Friends All Adults Now?”
You knew the time would end when you and everyone else you know would be over the bar scene but you didn’t think it’d happen while you were still in college. You’re still about going out every night during the week while all your friends are complaining that they can’t because they have to work at 9 AM. Suddenly, going out just seems to be appropriate for special occasions now. You begin to feel lonely and left out, even if that’s not necessarily the case.
- “I’m Bored.”
You feel like you’ve learned all that you can (and that’s probably not true) and you question why you’re back. You’re bored of the same professors, classrooms, routines, and people…probably because it’s not the same as it was last year. You find yourself retreating more and more into your bedroom watching Netflix and avoiding responsibilities.
- “Can I Quit?”
Is it too late to drop out? College is about the experience isn’t it…? Four years of experience is basically equivalent to a college degree anyways. Between all your emotions, midterms, stress, nagging, and being broke – you just wonder if you can just quit everything.
No one including yourself may understand why you’re back for another year and your friends who are already working may make you feel lost. At the end of the day though – it will all be worth it. College is supposed to be the best four years you have in your young adult life so why complain about being able to delay adulthood just for one year longer?
Featured Image via Unsplash
