Well, it’s finally here: seniors’ last first week of school.

I remember my first day of kindergarten like it was yesterday. I was wearing a frilly pink dress, a yellow ribbon in my hair and pink Velcro shoes — an ensemble that went very well with my rainbow-colored glasses. My mom brought out the camera and took a dozen pictures of me in front of the shiny yellow school bus. I hopped on the bus and waved back at her as the bus rode off to school.

I was always excited when the first day of school rolled around. The back-to-school commercials that began airing in the middle of July, the anticipation of finding out teachers and classes and calling my friends to find out if we were in the same classes. Picking out the perfect outfit for the first day and seeing all of my friends come back to school more tan than me — I loved it all.

And here I am now, about to embark on my last year at the University of Illinois. Weird, right?

My journey began after I transferred here the summer after my freshman year, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. There are certainly things I wish I hadn’t done, but there are also things I wish I had done.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to spend this column fretting about things I missed out on. Instead I’m going to start my senior year on the right foot and focus on things I’m looking forward to.

Seniors, this is the last year of your college life. Most of you are already 21 and don’t have to worry about finding fake IDs and paying cover as in years past. I can guarantee you that once you enter the real world, you’ll be missing those dollar you-call-its from Joe’s, $8 wine nights at Cly’s and these five things that will make your senior year great:

*1. Take advantage of syllabus week.*

Even though it’s almost over, syllabus week might just be the best week ever.

After a three-month hiatus from school, celebrate the start of the new school year on the right track. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, this is one week to look forward to. It’s time to get in the swing of the new semester by seeing old faces and starting new classes. You don’t have to spend every single night at the bars and party all week long; there are other ways to keep yourself involved on campus.

Go to all of your classes to get the syllabus and see how the class will be run throughout the semester. And while most people head to the bookstore right after classes, instead of buying the books, try finding the books on Amazon.com or Half.com, or use a rental site such as Chegg.com, where you can rent pretty much any book for roughly $20 less than the bookstore price.

Speaking of new classes, try out any of the new fitness classes at the ARC or CRCE for Freebie Week. The centers allow you to try out as many classes as you want before signing up and purchasing a weekly fitness pass.

There’s only two days left of this fabulous week, so make sure you take advantage of them.

*2. Make A Bucket List*

This is your last year on campus, so make the most of your time here by doing all of the things you want to do before you graduate. Go to a football game if you’ve never been to a sporting event, learn how to play “Bad Romance” on the bells at Altgeld Hall (that’s on my list!), go to a lecture that isn’t your own — the list can go on and on.

*3. Start completing your portfolio for future jobs*

Okay, I’ll admit that I’ve ignored all of those emails about Career Fairs for the past three years. But while some of you may be heading off to grad school next year, others may be ready to apply for jobs. If you’re looking for a summer internship (which may then lead to a full-time job), I’d suggest touching up your resume, gathering all of your clips and start writing down email addresses while you have the time now, so that you won’t be crammed with homework and activities while trying to make a great impression on your future bosses. And on that note …

*4. Keep your grades up*

While some may think of senior year as the time to finish up all of your remaining classes, don’t slack off. You should end your college career on a high note, and you’ll never know whether that D in Calculus could really affect your future in a career or in grad school.

*5. HAVE FUN!*

College is one of the greatest times in your life, so go out on a Sunday, skip a class (or two) if you have to and do whatever makes you happy.

Best of luck on your final year to all my fellow seniors!

_Hannah is a senior in Media._