With graduation approaching, many friends are coming to the realization that when you come back to school next year, your best friend isn't going to be there with you. As usual, they knew this was coming, but lived in almost complete denial until forced to face graduation day.

September.

It's a new year, new you. You and your best friend are going to take the school by storm this year, and there is nothing to hold you back. You have all the time in the world to spend with your best friend. They're slightly emotional about their last college move-in day, but you both quickly throw that aside in favor of more fun activities.

October.

It's started. You're no longer allowed to use the G-word. Your friend has just started to realize that his/her time in school is dwindling. The real world is approaching and it's coming fast. You still haven't registered that they're leaving, but they're starting to face the facts.

November.

Job application time. Your friend is spending hours a week submitting job application after job application. They're probably whispering their name, address, email, and phone number under their breath now that they've filled out so many of the same form. At this point you probably want there to be a common app for jobs, just so your friend can have their sanity back.

December.

It's the midst of finals, and suddenly your friend looks up from their notebook. This is the last Christmas break that they will ever have. They've finished their last fall semester, and it's hitting them. Hard. You have two options: Try and refocus them on their studying, or distract them with something a little more fun. You put down your pencils and decide to go back to the room, put on a funny movie, and drag all of your other friends out of their finals gloom to enjoy the night together.

January.

It's the beginning of the end. The final semester. There are interviews to be had, networking events to attend, and college memories to make. January is spent gearing up for the rest of the semester. It's the calm before the storm. There's so much to be faced that nobody can think about the impending G-word.

February.

It's hustle time. You're friend is having job interview after job interview, senior events, you're approving outfits, analyzing dress codes, boosting confidence right before interviews, and then it hits you. They're going to these things without you, and soon they'll be gone and a real adult, and you'll still be in school.

March.

Between midterms and spring break you're just going to live in the moment. Graduation seems forever away again because you have the adventure of spring break right before you. One last break before finals start and everything gets crazy again. Enjoy it. It won't last long.

April.

It's the last month of school and now you have to balance all of your work with "but we have to go it's my last month of college." You're a socialite going to every event the campus can have. Events that you hadn't gone to the last few years suddenly become a must. You never really knew how many events are on campus or in town until now. You're a work and play balancing master.

May.

You made it. It's graduation day and somehow you've managed to curve every attempt your friend had at a mental break down. You're at the bittersweet finish line. You're helping them get ready, double and triple checking that their cap is going to stay on just as long as it needs to, you smile and send them off to go meet with the rest of their class while you wait for graduation to start. You wait for what seems like ages for them to announce your friend's name and once they do, you're filled with more pride than you ever knew was possible. They did it, and you helped them get there. You've finally accepted that your best friend is moving on and you couldn't be more proud, or more excited to take that next step yourself. You have one more year left, and you are ready to take it by storm.