It's safe to say you probably look back at your senior year of high school fondly. And it's also safe to say the years have flown by and now you're nearing the end of your college career. You've changed majors once (or three times). You've gone from an 18-year-old on their own for the first time to a confident yet still uncertain 21-year-old (or 23-year-old). Two milestone years with both signifying going into the "real world." As a college senior though, you can't help but notice a couple of differences.

1. Desire for Freedom vs Desire for Stability

Graduating high school is all about becoming your own person separate from your parents and senior year reflects this. You drive yourself to school instead of taking the bus, you spend the night out with your friends for Senior Prom, and you apply for college eager to create your own life. But, after getting a taste of freedom and seeing dorm life isn't all it's cracked up to be you are now more concerned with finding stability: a 9-5 job, a graduate school acceptance letter, a prestigious internship or a loan rewarding your well thought out business plan. You're looking to settle down with your partner instead of playing the field. Your parents are a valued resource instead of a roadblock.

2. Standing Out vs Blending In

In high school, grade classifications matter. Everyone knows who the freshman are and certainly who the seniors are. You know who the students are skipping on Senior Skip Day, pulling the Senior Prank, and graduating two weeks before underclassmen are finished finals. Seniors do indeed rule the school and it's a special year and a special feeling.

In college, you can't pick out the freshman from the seniors. And that's before adding in the first year sophomores, the fifth-year seniors, or the people who don't know what they are because they've changed their major so many times and don't even know when they're graduating. All that really seems to matter anymore is whether you're 21 or not.

3. Changes

Despite a couple of differences each senior year is a milestone and completing your high school diploma and bachelor's degree are both accomplishments. Your life will soon change so remember to make time to enjoy the journey. Hopefully, you remember the good 'ole days forever.