College! The best years of your life! You'll find adventure, new friends, new likes and dislikes... and an empty wallet. These are also the most broke years of your life. If you're like me, all of your hard work at that minimum wage job and the extra hours of babysitting has led you to this exact moment: the tuition deadline. All of the stress and dread that you have been feeling about writing out that check for thousands of dollars has finally come into reality.

From the time that I was very young, I have been dreaming about going to college. I knew early on that I wanted to be the very best at something and be able to showcase that to the world. Upon graduating high school, I was so ready. I had been saving up for the University of Michigan for years on end, and having been raised a Michigan fan, I was eager to finally be a wolverine! Going into it, I knew that college was going to be expensive, but I had no idea what was really coming. Soon after my graduation party, I compiled all of the money that had been gifted to me and I deposited it into my college fund, leaving out only enough to buy a laptop that I would use for my classes.

My first year went by without a hitch. I made it through all of my classes with only minor bumps in the road, and I had avoided any and all late fees when turning in my tuition check. The concern came recently when I decided to calculate my wages. Tuition had gone up for the upcoming fall semester, and I was starting to get worried. Through some calculation, I had concluded that in order to make enough money for the winter semester, I was going to have to work roughly double the amount of hours that I am scheduled. Okay...don't panic. This is definitely doable.

I slowly realized that this was not the end of the world, no matter how much my mind kept telling me that it was. After careful consideration, I came to the conclusion that life was going to be okay. I could always pick up shifts, and do extra jobs on the side, whether it would be babysitting or yard work.

If you are like me, you are paying for your tuition, your books, and all class supplies, and you may feel like that is a lot. You would be absolutely right. It is a big deal to be supporting the financial aspect of your education, and it is also very responsible. The constant feeling of being conscious of your spending and how much you are saving is a huge part of growing up. It has taught me how to be smarter with my spending and making the distinction between things that I want, and things that I need, but also when it is okay to spend a little on myself.

Even though it is difficult, being independent and having control over this kind of thing is going to benefit me in the future. It is teaching me so many lessons on how to be a responsible adult and when it is and is not okay to splurge on senseless purchases. I'm growing up, and although I am taking baby steps, I will make it there one day.