How do you feel at the end of the semester?

My last day of classes is tomorrow, and I have three days of finals next week. I have to say that I feel somewhat sad that the semester is over. I felt sad at the end of fall semester, but I knew break was only for three weeks; this one is three and a half months.

I am happy that classes are almost over, but I am sad to say goodbye to my friends, especially my senior friends that are graduating. Then, I keep thinking about how I’m going to be a senior next year! It’s scary, exciting, and sad at the same time.

That’s good, right? That means you are making a successful transition from your emotional center being all about your family to moving some of that to your friends. In the big, wide world, those are the folks that are going help you more and more with “adulting” (helping you move, passing on a job opportunity, going on vacation with you). Keep in touch with your senior friends - you never know when your paths will cross again.

That pretty well sums up how I’m feeling. I’m about to finish my freshman year, and can’t believe that I’m leaving in a couple weeks! It’ll be so weird not having my best friends living down the hall for more than a few weeks. I’m also sad that the seniors are leaving… it’s crazy to think they’re heading out into “the real world.” It’s especially sad since I recently got to know some of them better, but now it feels like it’s too late to establish strong friendships. Almost a sense of impending doom, but not quite so sad or morbid. That being said, it’s definitely nice to look forward to getting a break from all the work and to the rest of my college years!

I think your last sentence sums it up best - scary, exciting, and sad at the same time.

I’m actually quite sad that the semester is ending. I prefer campus to my house so that’s going to be a big change. On campus I could hang out with people anytime I want, at home I’ll be alone all the time. I know a lot of people hate living in the dorms, but I really enjoyed it.

What you are feeling is normal and healthy. You are separating from your family and transitioning to adulthood making your way. College is a transitional time and place so you meet a lot of people and you lose some of those relationships. It’s hard to go back home after months of freedom and new stimulating learning and activities. It is all the emotions you described.

You’re definitely not wrong for feeling this way at all. I’m in the last week of my sophomore year, and while I’m more than relieved to be done with classes, I am in utter disbelief about how I’m virtually halfway through college at this point! I’m really trying to stay down here in my college town for the summer; as much as I cherish and miss my family, I don’t have much interest in being bored at home all summer like I was last year (except for taking a summer class). I’m trying to line up a job or an internship down here, but really I just want more independence. I wouldn’t get to do much of anything at all if I went home and stayed all summer. There’s just so much in my college town that I don’t get the chance to explore during the school year, so I would get to really know my college town better. This also probably would be my last chance to stay during the summer as a college student; I would return from spring study abroad in June of next year, and then obviously the next summer after that I would’ve already graduated.