Dear Sheridan Kate,  

With interim in the books and spring semester starting off, I can’t help but feel so strange knowing that these are my last few months at Wofford. How do I make the most of the time I have left, without feeling overwhelmingly nostalgic for the past and anxious for the future?  

Sincerely, the Sorrowful Senior  

Dear Sorrowful Senior,  

To say that I understand what you are feeling would be an understatement. This is a topic that has been on the tongues of every senior I have interacted with recently. The last semester at Wofford is just that – the last. Each moment starts to accumulate on the long lists of “lasts” that do nothing but pull at heartstrings. The last first day of class, the last Black and Gold Ball, the last football game. I think I speak for a lot of tenured Terriers when I say that senior year is filled with little “lasts,” each uniquely difficult.  

The advice I am about to give may be hard to follow, but try not to dwell. There is a unique sensation that results from the experience of missing a moment before it has even happened. Being in a moment and already missing the people around you can feel stifling, and considering the possibility of never again having that same experience with those same people can make anyone feel shaky about the future.  

In all of this, be mindful. Practice mindfulness to make sure you’re actually existing in that moment instead of just mourning its loss. Make time for the people in your life you care for, and try not to worry about how much you’ll miss them when you are spending those precious “last” moments together. When you look back on those moments, you will appreciate that you truly lived them instead of dwelling on future uncertainties.  

Finally, try to remember that with every “last” you experience, you’re also paving the way for some incredible beginnings, too. Senior specific events like the 50 Days Party and commencement activities will provide a chance to see Wofford as a new light, and the transition into alumni status brings benefits of its own like jobs and graduate school. The friendships you have made during your time at Wofford will take on a degree of newness too, as you navigate new cities and keep in touch while maintaining your closeness.  

I think I can confidently say that there isn’t a senior at Wofford that is not currently feeling some of the bittersweet feelings you have expressed as the finality of our Wofford careers begins to set in. Take solace in this fact, Sorrowful Senior. Know that the people you’ve met and the memories you’ve made during these four years will stick with you long after you walk across that stage and shake Samhat’s hand. And until that day, enjoy every minute of the slowly approaching “lasts.”  

Sincerely,  

Sheridan Kate