Growing up, everyone told me that college was going to go by in the blink of an eye -- I believe that was overestimate. I could have sworn that just yesterday I was a college freshman moving in to my dorm and living on my own for the first time. I still remember the hour- long car ride on move-in day-- I was nervous to meet my new roommates so I rehearsed how I was going to introduce myself about 1000 times. Now, two and a half years later, I am getting ready to graduate in the Spring and I'm applying to graduate school.

It is likely that my sense of nostalgia and feeling like a large chapter of my life is coming to an end stems from the fact that I am graduating a year early, but it is still an overwhelming feeling nonetheless. Paired with the fact that I have a late birthday, the idea of me graduating college at the age of 20 is a little crazy but also extremely exciting. I always worried that I would take too long to decide my major or what I wanted to do with my life, but I am extremely grateful that I have had to opportunity to explore all my interests and have a fairly solid career plan, all with one whole year to spare!

I've always been a good student, and I enjoy the structure and set schedule that academic institutions provide, but I could not be more excited to finally be finished with school and actually be out in the real world. School to me just feels like this uphill battle, every time you finish one level there is always another boss that you need to overpower at the next level. When you finish junior high you need to go to high school. When you graduate high school, you need to go to college. Once you graduate college you need to go to graduate school, it is like a never ending race, and I am absolutely ecstatic that I am just one step closer to the finish line.

I absolutely loved my childhood and I am grateful for all the of the experiences and opportunities that I had growing up, but for once, I actually feel that I am at the right place in my life. It is like all the pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together. It is an amazing feeling to actually be aware and cognizant of yourself maturing and evolving to become an actual adult. I have always been the baby of my family (or the "spoiled" one according to them), and so I always had someone that I could depend on, someone that could help me whenever any minor inconvenience came my way. I can now say that I am significantly more independent than I was 3 years ago, and I am sure that I will grow to be even more independent and mature in the many years to come.

I am excited to enter this new chapter of my life, and it couldn't come soon enough.