A letter to everyone not graduating on time

To the students not graduating with their class,

I won’t lie to you and tell you that it doesn’t suck, but I can tell you that it will be okay and everything will work out. While it may seem like the end of the world today, understand that it’s not. You’re excited to be entering your last year of undergrad until the day you get advised to apply for graduation and find out you’re not walking on your expected date. You sit there with your head low, ashamed, trying to figure out what happened and where things went left. As you walk out of the advisement office you’re now trying to figure out how you’ll break the news to your parents, or even worse, how they’ll react.

But it doesn’t stop there. You’ve told your family, now you must tell your friends. For most, this isn’t the hard part– coming from another college student who can relate the struggle and long nights, they’re usually more understanding than your mother and father. It doesn’t get hard until you approach graduation season and see everyone prepping for the big day. You know– the pictures, the countdown, the endless posts about life after graduation, the list goes on. And as much as you want to be happy for your friends as they close one door and open another to a new life chapter you can’t help but to feel as if you’ve failed, right? The gag is.. you didn’t. Always remember that graduating college is an accomplishment itself– whether you do it in four years, or six.. YOU DID IT! And no one can take that away from you.  Although it’s ideal to finish college in four years, understand that things happen and plans change. We get it. Financial burdens, a change in your studies, health and or family issues, depression, or maybe you took a semester/year off to really figure out if school is even for you. Whatever the case may be that prevented you from graduating on time.. know that it happens frequently. It’s normal and you are not alone. The reality of it is COLLEGE IS HARD. College isn’t a rush, and that’s what many fail to understand. You cannot put a timer on your success. If you spend your entire college matriculation competing and comparing with others, you’ll never enjoy your college years. College is suppose to be one of the best times of your life, take your time and focus, but most of all enjoy.

The best advice I can give anyone going through this is to take advantage of the extra time you’re given at your university. Take advantage of having an extra year of resources, because lets face it, you can’t beat the resources and advantages you’re given as a college student. As hard as it may be to watch your classmates and close friends graduate from the outside of the crowd rather than inside the crowd, you have to trust that your time will come. And when it comes, your friends and family will be right there. Yes, telling them you aren’t graduating on time may upset them, but that doesn’t mean they will love you any less nor will they stop supporting you. So whether you ‘did it in four’ or you took some extra time, to say you did it is all that matters. Do what you love, and you’ll get there. I promise.

Best wishes,

Alix