This past week I started my sophomore year of college. Honestly, time seems like it is flying by faster and faster as the years go on. Lately, I have been thinking about all the moments in the past few years that really helped to shape me into an adult. From the little things like learning to drive to the much bigger things that have yet to come, I am thankful for it all. The transition into adulthood is defined by several moments in a person's life, here are my moments.

1. Getting my license

Getting my license was probably the first big step into adulthood for me. I had freedom to go wherever I pleased (until 11 p.m. on weeknights and 12 a.m. on weekends). I had this big weight lifted off my shoulders that I didn’t need my parents to take me everywhere. I never again had to ditch my friends because “my dad couldn’t bring me over.” With this, I gained more independence, but my parents became sad because they were losing the baby of the house to adulthood.

2. Getting my first job

I still remember it clearly — waiting tables, being a hostess, cleaning, taking take-out orders, cleaning, helping prep the kitchen, cleaning, oh and did I mention cleaning? I worked at a little pizza place in my town for a measly seven dollars an hour. While I was underpaid, I felt so excited to finally have a job to put on my resume, and to be able to afford my own gas so I didn’t ditch my friends because “I have no gas and no money for it.”

3. Graduating high school

This was a big milestone for me and for all those my age. I had made it through some of the “toughest” years of my life. I survived my days as a child in search of new friends, the awkward middle school years, and the traitorous high school years. By the time graduation rolled around, I was more than ready to be free from high school. I was ready to take on the world of adulthood and college.

4. Turning 18

My eighteenth birthday was nothing fancy, and that was how I wanted it. I had my closest friends with me at the beach I loved more than anything and I got to celebrate becoming an adult. I have to admit that I was scared. I had new responsibilities, I was no longer considered a child, and so much more was expected of me. But I was ready to live up to those responsibilities and prove to everyone that I was ready to grow up.

5. Starting college

This one was a scary transition. I didn’t know a single person who went to my school; in fact, out of all four grades, I was the only one from my town, so I really was all alone. I had to start fresh, make new friends, all of it. I was scared and alone but so excited for this fresh start. However, I clung on to my life back home. I talked to my ex and tried to get back together with him instead of moving on, I didn’t let myself make new friends because I didn’t want to replace my old ones, and I had the constant thought in my head that I wanted to go home. None of this allowed me to spread my wings the first semester. Once second semester came, I let myself be free of Rocky Hill and embraced Curry College. I made friends, ditched my ex, and started to love school.

6. Sophomore year of college

I just started my sophomore year and now I feel like an adult. I learned I can have many groups of friends, that I can love my hometown and my school’s town, that I can be independent, and that I now have a life of my own and it is finally beginning. I now have my car on campus which allows me to distance myself from always relying on my parents. I love them and love knowing they are there to help me no matter what (like three days into school when I didn’t have enough money on my card to get out of a Boston parking garage) but that I also don’t need them in order to do everything this year. I can go and come as I please, I can go home when I want or stay at Curry when I want, I can buy my own groceries, and get a job up here.

I am finally an adult at 19 years old, but I still have growing up to do. However, it is nice to know I am on the right track and can actually make it on my own in this crazy world.