Skip to main content
Penn State Behrend
Report a Concern Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Graduate Programs
    • Open Lab Learning
    • Research Opportunities
    • Black School of Business
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science
    • Nursing Program
  • Admissions
    • About Penn State Behrend
    • First-Year Students
    • Transfer Students
    • International Students
    • Change of Campus Students
    • Adult Learners
    • Graduate Students
    • Applying to Behrend
    • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • Commuter Life
    • Residence Life
    • Dining on Campus
    • Athletics and Recreation
    • Clubs and Activities
    • Diversity and Belonging
    • Student Services
    • Safety on Campus
  • Information For
    • Future Students
    • Current Students
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Alumni
    • Donors & Friends
    • Business & Community Partners
    • Visitors
Full site navigation menu

This dialog contains the full navigation menu for this site.

Penn State Behrend
Enter the terms you wish to search for.
Search type:
Report a Concern Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • This is Penn State Behrend
    • About Penn State Behrend
    • Behrend as an Open Lab
    • Behrend: A Best Value
    • Vision of a Behrend Graduate
    • College Calendars
    • College Leadership
    • People and Departments
    • Visit Behrend
    • Give to Behrend
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Exploratory (Undeclared)
    • Adult Learner Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • Academic Advising
    • Career Services
    • College Registrar
  • Admissions and Aid
    • Penn State Behrend At A Glance
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Visiting Behrend
    • Applying to Behrend
    • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • On-Campus Housing
    • Off-Campus Housing
    • Commuter Resources
    • Dining on Campus
    • Fitness and Recreation
    • Student Activities
    • Safety on Campus
  • Athletics
  • Research and Outreach
    • Research
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research
    • Outreach
    • James R. Meehl Innovation Commons
    • Knowledge Park
    • K-12 Education Outreach
    • Pennsylvania Sea Grant

Find Information For:

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Alumni
  • Donors & Friends
  • Business & Community Partners
  • Visitors

Helpful Links

  • Campus Map
  • Virtual Campus Tour
  • Directions to Campus
  • Parking on Campus
  • Safety on Campus
  • Behrend Blog
  • Calendars
  • Directories

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
  1. Home
  2. Student Life
  3. Student Services
  4. Counseling Center

For Seniors Only

“How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?”
~Dr. Seuss~

Being a senior in college is both an exciting and a frightening time. It's a time of transition. The final months as an undergraduate can be stressful as you finish required coursework, apply for graduation, and prepare for an unknown future. You may leave most or all of your friends to attend graduate school, go to work, or stay at home.

This transition from student to post college life can be difficult because of the expectations and pressures that come with professional school or work. Up to this point, you likely have attended school for eighteen straight years, so it’s not surprising that there is some stress involved in the change.

Consider these three phases of change:

  1. An ending, followed by...
  2. A period of confusion and distress, leading to...
  3. A new beginning

If you think about it, every transition begins with an ending. You have to let go of the old thing before you can pick up the new. While you may be excited about graduating from Penn State University, don’t be surprised if saying goodbye is difficult.

A Transition Checklist

  1. Take your time. While things around you are changing, you need to adapt mentally and this can’t be rushed.
  2. Arrange temporary structures. It’s important to work out ways of continuing on until other things fall in place. For example, you may need to find a temporary job until a permanent one becomes available.
  3. Don’t act for the sake of action. Try not to make snap decisions during this time. Staying in transition may be uncomfortable, but it’s less difficult than aborting the process.
  4. Recognize why you’re uncomfortable. Distress is a sign that something is changing. The transition process includes times of anxiety and may awaken old fears.
  5. Take care of yourself in little ways. Be sensitive to your smallest needs.
  6. Don’t force changes on yourself. Find the little continuities that are important when everything else seems to be changing.
  7. Find out what is waiting in the wings of life. Remember that there is unlimited potential living within you. Interests and talents you have not yet explored are waiting to be tapped. Transitions clear the ground for new growth.
  8. Don’t be afraid to talk with someone. Although exciting, this may be a stressful time. Utilize your support network of friends, family, or a counselor.

"To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly."
~Henri Bergson~

Student Resources

  • On-Demand Programs
  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Final Exams
  • For Seniors Only
  • From Campus to Home
  • Homesickness
  • Long Distance Relationships
  • Moderation Management
  • Obsessive Gaming
  • Resilience
    • How to Build and Foster Resilience
    • Singing Bowls Meditation
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues
  • Self-Injury
  • Stress
    • Stress: Signs and Symptoms
  • The Dark Side of Prescription Drugs

See Also

  • Student Resources
Pennsylvania map showing Penn State's campuses with Penn State Behrend highlighted

Penn State Behrend

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers the learning opportunities of a major research university in a welcoming, student-centered campus environment.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • This is Penn State Behrend
    • Behrend At A Glance
    • Vision of a Behrend Graduate
    • College Calendars
    • College History
    • College Leadership
    • College Strategy
    • Employment
    • People and Departments
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Graduate Programs
    • Advising Center
    • Bookstore
    • Career Services
    • Center for Learning Excellence
    • College Registrar
    • Lilley Library
    • Student Success
    • Study Abroad
  • Admissions
    • Undergraduate
    • Graduate
    • Adult Learners
    • Change of Campus Students
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Veterans
  • Research/Outreach
    • Research
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research
    • Outreach
    • Community and Workforce Programs
    • James R. Meehl Innovation Commons
    • Knowledge Park
    • Pennsylvania Sea Grant
    • Plastics Training Academy
    • WPSE Radio
    • Yahn Planetarium
    • Youth Outreach
  • Student Life
    • Dining on Campus
    • Housing and Residence Life
    • Commuter Student Resources
    • International Student Services
    • Equity and Diversity
    • Athletics and Intramurals
    • Student Leadership and Involvement
    • Student Services
  • Academic Schools
    • Black School of Business
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science
    • Nursing Program
  • Tuition and Financial Aid
    • Tuition and Costs
    • Financial Aid
    • Aid Opportunities and Deadlines
    • Financial Literacy
    • Grants
    • Scholarships
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Helpful Links
    • Campus Map
    • Virtual Tour
    • Directions
    • Parking
    • Safety
    • Behrend Blog
    • Calendars
    • People and Departments
Penn State University
4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563 814-898-6000

Footer Legal Menu

  • Privacy
  • Non-discrimination
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • Map
  • Website Feedback
  • The Pennsylvania State University © 2025
  • We Are Penn State