Today is the first day of my senior year at St. Joseph’s College. As I’m writing this article, I have a graduate school application folder, a GRE workbook, and the one textbook that I only bought for one of my classes. It feels like I was just applying to colleges and studying for the SAT. Before college, I felt my education was moving in slow motion, but I can truly say that college flew by. I’ve done so much in my college career so far, but it still feels like I have a ton to do before I leave.

I wonder where the 18 year old kid who hadn’t gotten started went. I had no clue what to expect in my college years. I was nervous about the transition of a teacher holding your hand through everything to a professor saying you’re on your own. I wasn’t ready for the assignments that had to be 10 pages long (sometimes single spaced). However as I made it through my future years in college, I asked myself, what was I so worried about.

I never expected to be able to write a “grade A” quality paper on dysphagia not even 24 hours before it was due. I never thought I could work 20+ hours a week while in school, but I do it with no problem. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes time for finals and I have 5 research papers due in a week, I nearly cry, but it sounded so scary to me when I was entering my freshmen year.

I was thinking recently how much I’ve done in my college career so far and how it has made me a better person. I joined a service club and stepped up to be an executive for the four years. I was selected for student government for two years. And with those two years in student government, many people knew who I was, but I had no clue as to who they were…oops. I became an orientation leader and volunteered at open houses. I was a presenter in the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. I’ve met a number of lifelong friends and some enemies. I formed a relationship with someone who I care more about than anything. And all of this happened in the blink of an eye.

I still have a few years of school ahead of me, but starting the end of your undergraduate career is a huge step. You’re nearing the end of a time period of growing up and transitioning into adulthood. At this point you’ve completely adjusted to the college experience and have become significantly more independent. In just one short year some of my classmates may have their dream career at their fingertips. As scary as this all sounds, it’s time to look forward to your future because you’ve been preparing for it all these years. I may be guilty of it myself, but I ask my fellow senior years to not think of everything as your last because you will not have any fun.