In just two short years I'll be graduating college and hopefully beginning my teaching career. Finally, I get to become a part of this "real world" that I've always heard so much about. As unprepared as I may be for adulthood, I feel as if if I'm already in the mix.

Any college student will agree that stress is a part of the daily routine. For as much as people say your twenties are the best years of your life, you would think you get to be more care-free. Granted, our responsibility set is different, depending upon how you look at it. Instead of going to work every day and getting work done for our boss, we go to class every day and turn in our assignments to the teacher for a grade. Many students have off-campus housing, and that means we join the club of people that have bills rolling in monthly for us to pay. Those academic and "real world" lives are starting to blend together now, and it's TERRIFYING.

I've noticed lately I've been a lot more careful with my money. I would love to go back to the days where I was nine years old. My mom would take me out to Toys R' Us to spend my birthday money on that cool toy I'd been seeing on all the commercials. As I've gotten older, I've become much more aware of just how much a dollar is and how to spend it better. Of course I make impulse buys once in a while, because everyone deserves to treat themselves! You can be sure, though, I'm checking out those Walmart prices when I go food shopping. A different brand of banana won't make you any less full, so you may as well get what's most cost-effective.

As a man who has been in a relationship for about two years now, I'm usually the kind of person to keep others in mind when I think of things or need to make a decision. However, I've been starting to think of myself more. "How will this workout for me?" "What is in my best interest?" Is this me being selfish and immature?—or am I subconsciously trying to establish my independence? I have literally no idea. Even though I may be thinking differently, at the end of the day I am very happy where I am and wouldn't rather be anywhere else.

I'm trying so hard to find that line between being professional and honesty. As a student trying to go into education, I go on field experiences to various high schools and middle schools. We are told to dress and act professionally, but that's not me. I'm just not the button down and dress shoe every day type of guy. As much as I want to make a very good impression at these institutions, I want them to know who I am. I'm the one to wear khakis, a polo, and chucks to class. Maybe I'm not the most formal educator, but I'm passionate and will be genuinely excited to be in the building every day.

I have no idea what I am. I'm not young enough to throw caution to the wind daily, and I'm not old enough to ease through things. Whatever it may be, I'm ready for that next big life step and hit to it with everything I've got. In two years, be ready, world. I know the new me will be, too.