I remember it clear as day:
The car was packed as full as it could get; books and new clothes purchased and room decorations in tow. I was off onto a new adventure, with new places yet to be explored and new faces yet to cross my path. There was the convocation, the orientation filled with name tags and smiling faces, the gauntlet of professors with great expectations for the years ahead. Of course, there were the tear-filled hugs and the realization that I was saying goodbye to the normalcy of life up to that point, and saying hello to whatever adventures were ahead.
That was the first day of college... three and a half years ago.
It is a really crazy feeling to only have one semester of college left. A lot of feelings begin to surface.
I find myself caught between being excited and being terrified that college is almost over. Yes, the stress of huge exams and giant papers and the constant lack of sleep gets a little old. However, there are many good things that outweigh the bad. Having my friends within a five-minute radius all the time makes for endless amounts of memories. Being able to choose my academic path. Being in a place where people genuinely care about my success and willingly help me to achieve my best. These are things that I will forever cherish about college.
Of course, there is a great deal of fear. There's excitement, doubt, relief, the list goes on and on. There is the wondering of if I can be successful like other alumni became after they graduated. I wonder who of my friends I will stay close to after we go our separate ways. I wonder still what the greatest potential is for the degree I am about to earn. I could go on for a long time about this subject, and I probably will until the day I don my cap and gown.
And so, at the end of this semester, my last days will look similar to my first. The car will be packed as full as it can get; books sold, and old clothes and well-used room decorations in tow. I will be off onto a new adventure, with new places yet to be explored and new faces yet to cross my path. There will be graduation, the orientation filled with name tags and smiling faces, the gauntlet of professors with great expectations for the years ahead. Of course, there will be the tear-filled hugs, and there will be the realization that I will be saying goodbye to the normalcy of life up to that point, and saying hello to whatever adventures were ahead.
The main thing about these last days is that when I move on to the next chapter, I will know that the last four years were a story well written. I am one of the fortunate- I love my school, and I almost feel unworthy of the friends, opportunities, and the memories it has brought me. So, as I enter my last semester of college, I plan to make every second of it count. I could have spent these last few years anywhere, and I am so thankful that I chose to spend it here.
Here's to the last three and half years, and here's hoping for the best last semester imaginable.
