Believe it or not, this semester is almost over. It feels like it just started, but here we are, another month behind us and another month closer to the end of the year. And for some of us, that means graduation. After four years of papers, tests, and tears we have finally made it to the final stretch. I didn’t know I could feel so many conflicting emotions until I realized I was graduating. Hopefully, I’m not alone. Here are five feelings that all of us almost-alumni have about graduation.

1. Relief

No more tests, no more papers, no more school! Our entire lives, we’ve been forced to go to school and then we decided to add four more years on and go to college. But, we have made it. Our thesis has been written, our capstone has or will be presented, and all we have to do is walk across a stage and get a diploma. Right?

2. Nothing At All

Who feels nothing? All of us who thought it would be an even better idea to keep going to school. Whether it’s medical, law, or graduate school we still haven’t crossed our last finish line. Here’s to more tests, more papers, and more student loans!

3. Utter Terror

Just me? Oh okay. If you’re not going to further your education, what are you going to do? Get a job? Get married? Move back home? If this is the end of school for you, no part of your life has ever prepared you for that feeling of not having school anymore. It has to be weird, right? And now you’re expected to be an adult and survive? What?!

4. Excitement

After four years we’re ready to head out into the world, further our education, start jobs, and then families of our own. We may have no idea what comes next, or we may have a long set of years ahead of us. But, what matters is that we made it to this milestone, something that many people don’t. It’s time to make something of ourselves, explore the world, make some money. I think we’re more than ready.

5. Sadness

We’ve spent four years here and, through it all, this place has come to mean something to us. It was our home away from home. It’s where we made four years’ worth of memories. We’ve met friends and significant others. Whether you like it or not, this school will always be a part of you and it’s sad to leave it and move on to the next phase of our lives.

Obviously, I know we're feeling more than five things, but let's try to space out the rest, really take our time and not get all bunched up in our feelings. Way too many emotions for me to handle. Oh yeah, congratulations, we're almost there!