During my first semester of college, I would consistently meet up with one of my best friends and the first thing we would share was how many days remained until we could go home. 13 days until fall break, a month until Christmas break, eight days until a long President’s Day Weekend.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved certain aspects of college and never once doubted my decision to go to Fairfield. There was just a level of comfort at home that I found myself constantly craving during my first six months of freshman year.
As time went on, my countdowns transitioned to be more positive. The number of weekends until I could celebrate my 20th birthday with friends, the amount of sleep until spring break in Punta Cana, the minutes left in class until I could leave and get coffee with a friend.
Now, in my senior spring semester, there is one final countdown that is on my mind, one that started on Feb. 7: 100 days until graduation.
For someone who used to thrive on countdowns, this impending milestone fills me with dread. I fell in love with my college life. The last four years were a time of immense change, some of the highest highs and lowest lows. It is difficult for me to grapple with the fact that in a few months, I won’t be constantly surrounded by my favorite people, living less than a mile from the beach. Nearly everyday now, I think about the little things I’m leaving behind, or all the “lasts” to come.
I would be remiss, though, to spend this precious time feeling sad about what’s to come. Since I know how fast four years came and went, I don’t want to waste a moment of what is left. I plan on finding joy in every late night gossip session I get with my roommates, every walk down the beach and every song screamed at The Grape.
Senior Roisin McCarthy is a part of the FUSA Class of 2025 Programming Board, responsible for planning events for seniors as the days together dwindle down. This week is the first event, which includes a Colony Grill food truck, coming to The Grape for the night, to serve seniors pizza as they come together with friends.
McCarthy reflects on her time at Fairfield and says her “advice to seniors during this time is to make memories with friends at these events. These are the last three months we get to live in the same place, and we should all cherish it together.”
Cherishing is the perfect word to describe the months to come. I have found that I have an increased desire to simply be with my favorite people. Last week, some of my friends and I gathered at another friend’s house to have a sleepover in her living room. We have spent every weekend together this past year, but something about skipping the usual routine of going out to sit in her kitchen and talk and all sleep on air mattresses in the same room was so special. Perhaps it is the underlying understanding that soon we will rarely be in the same city at the same time, let alone be able to be in the same living room. When I’ve talked about graduation with my friends, they share the same bittersweet feelings, wondering how it went this fast, and simultaneously wishing time could stop in its tracks.
I asked a few friends what their advice would be for underclassmen, knowing what they know now. Emily Silen ‘25 shared that hers would be, “saying yes to things and going out of your comfort zone.” She elaborated to explain, “I never planned on studying abroad. But because I did, I ended up finding my favorite city.”
Jill O’Brien ‘25 recommends to “try not to stress the little things. One test, one hangout, one bad day will not define your college career. Just keep being proud of everything you are doing and trust that the hard work and kindness you are putting out will be rewarded.”
As for me, my advice is the same to both current seniors and underclassmen. Enjoy the moments you are in, but look to the future with joy, not fear. Time moves insanely fast and as O’Brien mentioned, stressing out over little things can take over at times. But there will never be a time the same as college. This weird bubble that has become our lives is only in it for a limited time. So even when tests or drama feel heavy, focus on the good. Soak up every smile, laugh, and even cry, because before you know it, you’ll be desperately trying to stop the countdown of 100 days.
