For many people, college is the best time of their lives, and for good reason. Your college years should be filled with exploration, learning, finding yourself and having a great time.

If you’re about to become a senior in college, you probably have mixed feelings. On the one hand, you probably can’t wait to be done with school. On the other hand, you want to enjoy every single moment before it’s all over. It’s essential to make your final days as a senior count.

During your last year, it’ll likely be challenging to stay focused. But your grades shouldn’t fall by the wayside just because you’ve almost reached the end. While focusing on your academics and enjoying your final days in college, you should also be thinking about life after college. To make the best of your final year in college, and to prepare for the future, here are some tips we recommend to finish your “last lap” in style:

Decide on Which Classes Are Most Important

For many students, senior year is a mixture of filling in required electives and completing important capstone courses related to your major.

Prioritizing your classes is essential.

If a few general education classes fall to the bottom of your priority list, don’t worry too much. Sure, you should try in all of your classes, but doing well on capstones should be your #1 objective.

Focus on the essential classes first, and then schedule in other class activities as time allows.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

When you’re a freshman, practically everything is out of your comfort zone. But as a senior, you’ve probably grown comfortable with the college routine.

Use your final year in college as a opportunity to break out of your comfort zone for one last time. After all, once you graduate, you could be closing the door on certain adventures for good.

Here are some ideas on how to get out of your comfort zone:

• Join a club
• Try a new sport
• Spend time with a new group of people
• Visit a new area of the campus you haven’t spent a lot of time at
• Go to more college sporting events
• Host a fundraiser for a local charity

Even though we highly recommend stepping out of your comfort zone during your senior year, if it interferes with your studies you should probably take a step back from your social life.

Find a balance between taking classes, spending time with current friends, and trying new activities.

Relive Some of the Glory

While it is a good idea to try some new things, there is nothing wrong with a dose of nostalgia!

Looking back on your time in college is a great way to relish in how much you’ve changed in the past four years.

Revisit your college dormitory or try to reconnect with your freshman roommates if you’re no longer in touch.

Try to schedule a meeting with some of your favorite professors. It will remind you of the good times you had and they’ll appreciate a student giving a final farewell.

Go to places on campus that once meant a lot to you. Maybe it’s a quiet corner in the library. Or maybe it’s the cafeteria you haven’t seen since you moved on campus.

Reconnect With Your School

We hinted at this above, but another way to enjoy your senior year is by reconnecting with your school. You can do this by taking part in rallies, going to games, attending special lectures, and participating in similar activities. As a freshman, school spirit is high. But as a senior, we can become jaded. Use your senior year as a time to rekindle that school spirit.

Put on the college sweatshirt, attend the homecoming parade, cheer at a football game, talk some trash with your friends at a rival university!

Prepare Yourself for the Future

Even though you should enjoy your final year as a senior to the fullest, in the back of your mind, you need to think about the future.

After graduation, it’s time to be a part of the “real world,” which is both intimidating and exciting. While you’re at school, there are some things you can do to prepare for life after graduation.

• Look for job fairs
• Participate in on-campus interviews
• Take advantage of your school’s career center. You can work on your resume and cover letters there.
• Get letters of recommendations from professors for the future.
• Do an internship or schedule some informational interviews with professors.
• Go to networking events.
• Join student-professional organizations to meet new professionals and potentially secure some job offers.
• Attend informational classes and meetings about job hunting tips and skills.
• The more you learn about different opportunities, the better as you never know what may interest you and add to your future career.

Before you blink, your senior year will be over, so use what limited time you have left wisely.

Get more involved at school, get out of your comfort zone, and learn all that you can. Focus on school, connect with others, and above all else, have the time of your life.