When I was in high school, I made the decision to further my education at a university after I graduated. I knew what I wanted to study, but I was not sure of what I would do once I got my degree. I knew I had to get out of my little town for a while. I want to be able to provide for myself and provide health care to others while still enjoying the best career path I can take. I want to live my life knowing I will be secure until the end of my days. Fast forward to now, I am over 3/4 of the way done with my junior year. I have had so many experiences that I would have never came across if I wouldn't have jumped off the deep end into the college world. Numerous honors societies, sorority leadership positions, intramural sports, chemistry lab assistant, etc.

But yet, I still feel left out. Left behind. Like I am missing out on everything the world has to offer. All of my friends have "grown up." They have started moving in with their boyfriends, getting engaged, getting married, and starting families of their own. They get to spend all of their free time away from work with their families and our friends from high school. I crave the ability to come home to my sweet boyfriend every day. I wish I could welcome him with a kiss each time he walked in the front door covered in dirt, but I can't because I'm simply not there to do it.

I have a friend that gets to come home every day to the sweetest baby boy. I have a friend that gets to come home every day to her boyfriend and their dogs. I have a friend that gets to come home every day to her fiancé. I have a boyfriend that gets to see his three (soon to be four) adorable nephews almost every day. Do you know what I come home to in my college town? An empty bedroom. Usually it's a completely empty house. I feel like I come home to nothing because no one is here.

But you know what? I would not trade it for the world. I may not get to see my boyfriend every day like my friends. I may not get to see my family every day, but one day, it will ALL. BE. WORTH. IT. Do you know what I do get to do? I get to wake up each day with a smile on my face knowing that I WILL make a difference in someone's life. I WILL continue to push myself to become the best I can be while I finish up my degree so I will be prepared to "enter the real world" when I graduate. I made this choice for a reason. I have the support from all of my family and friends to continue to strive towards the finish line while becoming the best I can be. I WILL NOT give up. I may not always be prepared for what life throws at me, but I know I will be able to make it through.

If you're feeling down, just remember what you came to this college/university to do. You are here to make a difference. Some of your free time may be committed to studying right now, but in the end, it will all be worth it. Four short years will be able to provide you with a dream job, financial security, and you will finally have your time back with all of your friends and family that you have been waiting so patiently for. Don't give up. Stick out the next four years and you will have all of the time in the world to get a house, get engaged, get married, have children, travel the world, etc. Go for it while you can.