I still remember my first day at orientation. It was my second time in Austin and I had no idea what to expect, but I was so excited to be there. I felt intimidated by this new environment because I had never lived away from home, let alone moved to a completely different country. However, I was very positive about starting school in Austin because I knew UT was right for me. Freshman year did not disappoint and it was one of the most thrilling years of my life. Sometimes I wish I could relive my first year because I remember how relaxed I used to be since I didn't have as many responsibilities as I have right now.

Fast forward two years and I am already in the middle of my college career. I started freaking out a little bit when I realized this because I feel like time has flown by incredibly fast, which means that in no time I’ll be graduating college. Thinking about entering the “real world” frightens me a lot. Right now I have responsibilities, but it’s still okay to mess up I guess since my biggest worry is getting good grades. I am still dependent on my parents financially, and that gives me stability, but I am also very independent because I live by myself. I think this is one of the greatest things about being in college.

I always hear people say that college was the best time of their lives, so I always wonder if it will get better than this. As we get older, the pressure to get an internship or job increases, so I see a lot of people doing things they don't really like just because they need to build their resume. I don't want my life in college to be about doing things I don't enjoy or love.

I also don't want to spend my last two years of college worrying excessively about the future. I believe it is important to live the present because every day brings new opportunities and we have the chance to learn from the good and bad things. It is very easy to focus on what you will be doing in a couple of months or years, and we usually forget to take it one day at a time. I think college is all about growing in different aspects of life, which is why I want to be fully present in the moment, so I'll be ready for the real world in a few years.

I am definitely not ready to graduate. I know that time will come eventually, but for now I will try to enjoy college as much as I can.

Time flies when you’re having fun!