Gray’s guide to graduation: advice to graduating seniors

If you’re anything like me, preparing for graduation has brought a lot of mixed emotions. A few of the negative emotions I have experienced are anxiety, fear, worry, and doubt. However, I have experienced many positive emotions as well, such as excitement, expectancy for what the future holds, gratitude, and pride of how far I’ve come in my journey as a student at Charleston Southern.

I am going to be your guide with a few suggestions and pieces of advice for the last few weeks of the semester before graduation!

Take care of yourself.

Preparing for graduation is a very stressful, overwhelming, and high-pressure season full of unknowns. Please take time for yourself, and if you need help, don’t be afraid to reach out to the counseling services that Charleston Southern offers. They are here to help you, and you are not alone.

Soak it all in.

Stay after class and talk to your professor. Go to that dance, go to the beach, or just go out for a coffee with a friend. We are all moving into new seasons of our lives where we won’t see each other as much and won’t have the freedom and accessibility to just walk across campus and grab a bite to eat with our best friends. Take advantage of that while you still can!

Linger a little longer.

Stay a little later after class. Talk to your classmates. Converse with your professors. See how much they have to offer and what they can teach you. Be open to how they can guide and lead you along the way. They love you and want to see you succeed.

Take all the photos.

Make memories and take photos. We will never forget the memories we make but be sure to capture them all so we can look back years later and see how far we have come!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and let him guide, lead, and direct your steps.

This is a difficult task to complete, but the Lord knows our steps better than we do. God is so good, and he knows where he is leading us. His plans are better than our own.

Visit often.

No matter where the Lord leads you, visit often and know that you will always have a home at Charleston Southern.

Make sure you are prepared and have your graduation tickets.

Make sure you are receiving emails from csugraduation@csuniv.edu. Make sure that you have all of your tickets and everything you need to walk across that stage in a few, short weeks.

I pray and hope this gives you all a little comfort. I can’t wait to walk across the stage alongside  you!