As a graduating senior, there’s so much to think about: apartment hunting, budgeting for food without a meal plan, paying for parking and navigating a place that isn’t completely walkable. Bucknell coddles us while we’re here by making all the resources we could possibly need easily accessible. The only way we can be truly prepared for life after Bucknell is if we go out of our way to step outside the comfort zone of the Bucknell Bubble, and there are a few ways to do this.
As soon as you can, start working your way off of relying on the meal plan. We have many apartment options on campus with kitchens, and there are also kitchens in all the dorms. Being able to go grocery shopping and having a sense of how much food you go through—so that you’re not constantly letting produce go bad after you graduate—is an important lesson to learn before living off campus.
While some seniors do live off campus and have the opportunity to pay rent, lease an apartment and deal with a landlord, that’s not the reality for the majority of Bucknell students. Whether you’re in a position to have an apartment over the summer for an internship or job, or can simply talk to people here or at other schools who’ve gone through the experience, doing so will be really helpful. That way, when it’s your first time renting housing, it won’t feel completely new and overwhelming. Having an idea of the vocabulary and what to look for will make a big difference.
Visiting the places you’re considering living after Bucknell and thinking about transportation is also important. It’s a big shift from being able to walk, bike, or scooter everywhere like we can on campus. Some people have a background with public transportation and can adapt easily, but for others it can feel like a lot to take on, especially on top of everything else Bucknell has shielded us from. Traveling over breaks to visit friends in different places can help give you a better sense of what life outside the Bucknell Bubble actually looks like.
When it comes to being ready to leave Bucknell and hold our own in jobs and new opportunities, Bucknell has done its part to prepare us. All of our classes and on-campus opportunities, while conveniently accessible in ways that might not transfer to the real world, have taught us to think critically and adapt to change. We’re used to time management, conflicting schedules, consistent communication and working in groups, skills that are incredibly necessary post-grad. So while the comfort of Bucknell may mean we still have a few life skills to learn, what we’ve gained here will give us the foundation to do just that, while balancing everything else.
It’s because of this comfort zone that we’ve been able to push ourselves academically, personally and professionally. And while there are certainly pros and cons to the Bucknell Bubble, we all have at least something to thank it for.