The Senior

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It's time to head back to Hartfeld in The Senior! We've come a long way from the early days of Choices with The Freshman: Book 1, and it's exciting to reach the culmination of your college years with The Senior. Now let's talk to The Senior team!

What's going down in The Senior? Tell us everything. 3... 2... 1... Go!

Sara: Well, I can hardly tell you everything, but I will say that, since it’s your final year of college as well as the final book in the series, you and your friends will be feeling the crunch! The Senior is all about going out and finding inspiration. In this book, you’ll jump into writing a thesis, getting guidance from your advisor, completing a bucket list of adventures, and taking big steps in your relationships! With the future coming up so quickly, will you live in the moment, look to the past, or plan ahead?

There are quite a few milestones and big moments in The Senior. Want to drop a few hints about that?

Saran: Graduation is coming up for the Hartfeld crew, so that’s a major milestone right there! Accordingly, players will also have to prepare to present their senior thesis, but they’ll need to take opportunities to strengthen their work. And of course, there are some big decisions ahead of you, like choosing a career and deciding what you want from your romantic relationships.

Who will we be seeing in The Senior? Any familiar faces or new friends?

Sara: It wouldn’t be a book in The Freshman series without a few new friends! A few might even be of the fluffy, cuddly variety... You’ll also get to spend a little more time with your mom and dad! As for familiar faces, you’ll certainly get some insights into mentors past and present. For one, you can look forward to some new insights about a certain lovably cantankerous writer!

Senior year is no joke. Who out of the cast would you pick to be your study buddy for your final year of college?

Saran: Definitely Grant’s dog, Burpy. Can you imagine? A book in one hand, and giving that pup a belly rub with the other? No human measures up. I would look forward to studying every day if I got to snuggle with him.

Sara: My impulse is to say Tyler, because STUDY BUDDIES for life, but I also wanna say Kaitlyn. A) I love her. B) She would have the BEST studying playlists. I have a playlist dedicated to and inspired by Kaitlyn, and it rocks. And C) I do my best studying when I can help someone else with the material, so a less extreme version of cramming-with-Kaitlyn would be great for both of us and fun at the same time!

Elizabeth: Edgar Lucas. That dude knows his way around a D&D handbook, a study guide, AND an electronic lute. Plus, he's totally famous from trying to crash America's Most Eligible!

Shayn: I would pick Zack, hands down. I think I’d probably do about average on whatever test we took afterward, but I’d be living my best life.

Got any wisdom for students starting their senior year of college?

Saran: Make the most of your last year as much as you can, but don’t feel bad if you’re not as plugged into everything as you may have been in the past. Senior year can get really busy, and that forces you to prioritize the things and people that you really want to invest your time in. Some stuff is bound to slip from your schedule, and that’s okay!  Also, don’t freak out if you don’t know what you’re gonna do after you graduate, because I had NO CLUE and I turned out okay.

Elizabeth: Don't let the stress take away your ability to enjoy the moment. Take breaks, breathe deep, have fun. Enjoy your last few months before you have to leave college!

Shayn: Focus on that finish line! I had a lot of other things trying to distract me, and it would've been easy to fall behind or even quit. Keep going! Whatever hurdles pop up in your path will be in your past soon enough.

Sara: Rolls a wisdom check... Let’s see... Play D&D. I found an RPG group my senior year and they became some of my closest friends, and helped my creativity and writing. But in all seriousness, my advice is to find something fun and exciting to help combat that serious case of Senioritis. If you open yourself up to new activities, you open yourself up to new friends, new passions, and maybe even new crushes! Who doesn’t fall hard for their DM every now and then? ;)

And finally: no one’s college career is the same. Maybe your senior year is your victory lap. Maybe you changed majors late in the game, or added a major (or a minor or two…), or realized that college wasn’t the right path for you and pursued a different dream. Just because your college experience is different from others, doesn’t mean it’s not just as valid!

Take note, everyone! Check back tomorrow to reunite with Kaitlyn, James, Chris, Becca, and Zig in The Senior. And stay tuned for Big Sky Country (launching 9/21!), and the return of It Lives and High School Story later this fall! Along the way, you might just get the chance to study at the most prestigious magical university around...

-Jessica

ChoicesCarissaThe Senior, Interview