“Time flies when you’re having fun” is one of the most accurate statements I’ve heard since I have been in college. From the late night Taco Bell runs at 1:00 a.m. to cramming for a midterm the night before, college is a beautiful dream that I never want to wake up from. 

There are many aspects of college to rave about, but the fact that we live with our best friends in paradise is my favorite part. Being able to walk downstairs, next door or less than one mile away to your best friend's is a dream come true. If I’m ever bored, I know I will always have someone who wants to go to Chipotle with me at 3:00 in the afternoon or explore Columbia with me. The convenience and the happiness I receive from living with my best friends is priceless.      

Regardless if we win or lose, cheering on our beloved Tigers football brings the energy to any early morning tailgate. The town of Columbia thrives on Mizzou home football games and so do the students. No matter how tired I am, it is easy to pop out of bed at 8:00 a.m. to start celebrating our football team. Just simply walking around campus with our whole campus in the best mood with the most uplifting energy is a sure sign of a great time. The vibes from just entering Faurot Field and hearing the famous chant “M-I-Z, Z-O-U,” is something I will always cherish and chant along with.   

The traditions at Mizzou have also helped me build my own memories during college. Mizzou’s Homecoming is one of the most popular events of the school year and a huge tradition to the university. Sitting in a fraternity basement while pomping with my sorority sisters or skit directing a performance for Mizzou’s Homecoming makes me recognize how lucky I am to be apart of Mizzou. After the hard, exhausting work of Homecoming has come to an end, after seeing the skit performed, your pomp boards on display, and the members of Mizzou coming together, this can all surely make great memories.   

Even Mizzou’s campus is something I will miss once I graduate. From the majestic six columns of Mizzou to the squirrels that get uncomfortably close to you, Columbia has become my second home. Moving into Jones Hall to a sorority house to living on East Campus with ten of my best friends makes Columbia feel like home to me. Yes, I go to school with thousands of people, but it is easy to find your niche that makes Mizzou unique to you. 

College has surely given me the most memorable years of my life that can never be replaced by any other chapter in my life. Although I don’t know what life has in store for me after I graduate, I will always know Mizzou gave me the best four years I will always love to remember.