It can’t be true, it’s impossible, you refuse to believe it. But no matter the denial you seem to be in, it is true, it is indeed possible, and sooner or later you are going to believe it.

You are a senior in college.

When you were younger and had older siblings or cousins in college they always seemed so old and so wise to you. They used fancy vocabulary, and were able to drink alcohol and stay out as late as they wanted. In addition, you were jealous of their seemingly lax class schedules and long breaks from school. You could not wait for the day that you would be where they were, staying away at school, meeting new people, and acquiring all of this new information that seemed out of your league.

After the much anticipated chapter of your life had begun, you were more than ready to take the world by storm. Being a freshman in college was one of the most frightening yet exhilarating experiences you would ever come to know. Whether you went far away to college or stayed local, the changes were overwhelming. You embraced a new school equipped with new teachers, new classmates, and new classes. Everything that had been familiar faded away and in its place a new world had opened before you.

This newness didn’t last long though because, without much delay, you had made yourself comfortable and resented the idea of going home for summer.

You greeted your sophomore year with open arms, for you were no longer one of the new kids on campus. You had established yourself. You had a core group of friends, you had decided on a major, and you had moved out of the less than luxurious freshmen dormitory. You were, however, still enjoying the perks of being an underclassman without the serious responsibilities that would come soon after.

Junior year things started getting real. You took on some harder classes, joined organizations so that you could buff up your resume, started thinking about possible internships, and planned for your 21st birthday shenanigans. Although it may have been the toughest year yet, you found it to also be the most fun.

At the close of your junior year though, it then dawned on you that you had just two semesters left of college. It was at this very moment that the nausea, indigestion, and upset stomach set it.

You are a senior in college.

What would happen after graduation? Would you go to grad school? Get a job? Would you be unemployed and living at home?

Without you even realizing it happening, life caught up with you and you were on the verge of yet another big life change. Just as entering college was an endeavor you feared, the work field seem far scarier. The fear of the unknown was especially evident here.

Although you may not feel as old and wise as your predecessors, you feel as though you have grown up since going to college, just like they said you would. Although you may not have everything figured out, you have yourself figured out. You learned what’s important and what’s not. You’ve learned to take certain things lightly and hold other things in higher regard. You’ve learned to prioritize and manage your time.

Perhaps the greatest thing you learned was that no matter how scary things seem at first, they tend to work themselves out. So yes you will fear what comes next, but that fear will soon be overshadowed by the success you earn with the degree you worked so damn hard to achieve.