I feel old.

I know I shouldn't, I'm not even 22. But it seems as though every day there is something to remind me that I'm closer to being a functioning adult. Like hearing a song on the radio on "Throwback Thursday" that makes me think, "Huh, this isn't that old, it came out when I was in sixth grade," and then realizing sixth grade was almost a decade ago.

As all of my friends got internships and work 9-5 this summer, I've had a lot of time on my hands. One of my all-time favorite pastimes is watching animated movies. Sure, I could watch Liam Neeson beat up takers for the third time, but something about hearing Robin Williams as the voice of a blue genie is comforting. I think it reminds me of a simpler and responsibility-free time in my life which seems to be getting harder and harder to remember.

The movie of choice the other day was Toy Story 3. When it first came out, I remember a lot of people making the connection between Andy's age and the generation which grew up with the talking toy trilogy. Many of us who saw the first movie as children were lucky enough to experience Andy going off to college around the same time it happened for us, which really struck a chord with family members of all ages.

But to be honest, it hit home even harder this time. Going into my last year as a college student; the prospect of graduating and becoming a full-fledged adult can be daunting. Do I need to go to grad school? Am I moving somewhere completely different? How hard is it going to be to find a job? Oh, please don't let me be that person who's living in their parents' basement in their late twenties.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the Woody and company as they prepare to enter the incinerator.

It can be easy to get caught up in the pressures and worries of life at this stage of your college career. We can be so focused on where our lives are going and how they’re going to get there that we forget about bettering the lives of others. The message from Toy Story 3 was a simple one: don’t forget about that.

Lotso, the bad guy teddy bear, was hurt by someone. He turned cold and lost the child-like innocence he once possessed, instead turning into a greedy toy who took advantage of others.

I implore all of you to not follow in Lotso’s footsteps. As you continue your journey to adulthood, find that innocence, remember the child-like wonder you used to find in life’s little things, embrace your inner kid. Just because you grow up in age doesn’t mean you have to cut ties with the kid inside.

I may be crazy, but I believe all people are inherently good. It’s our experiences and environment which can have a negative effect on the people we become. If we can learn one thing from the Toy Story trilogy, it’s that by sticking together and helping one another, we can face any adversity and get through it. This is something we all need to keep in mind, regardless of age.

And sometimes we just need be a kid again and play with toys.