Senior year at Colby bears a marked resemblance to senior year in high school. Four years ago it was college essays. Now it's grad school applications, résumé revisions and job listings that consume us as we confront the often asked but rarely satisfactorily answered question: "What are you going to do next?"

Colby magazine interviewed four valiant seniors--Kristan Jiggetts, Kearney Shanahan, Jason Beal and Jenny Kalman--and they not only attempted to answer the question but agreed to let Colby eavesdrop on their planning and scheming, from the dramatic to the mundane. In this issue we introduce the foursome; in coming issues we'll offer readers serial peeks at what our seniors are up to. Follow them as they share triumphs and tribulations, public confidence and private worries.