When I began my time at the University of Kansas, I had figured I would follow the traditional plan of being in school for four years, making me a part of the Class of 2017. However, after my disastrous freshman year, I quickly realized that the four-year plan I was so hoping to follow was not going to happen for me. At first, I was devastated. I wanted in and out of college; study hard, stay focused, graduate and never look back. I didn’t enjoy the experience my first two years brought me, so I was convinced that the rest of my time in college was doomed.

I hated college. I was frustrated with the idea that I was made to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life at such a young age. How was I supposed to know what I would be interested in twenty years from now? I refused to try and stick with one major, and I never found one that I was really, truly attached to. I found fields that I liked, but nothing that made me want to go to class and learn more. As I struggled with picking something, I started realizing that the longer I took to decide on a major, the longer it was that I would have to stay in school. This only made me feel more overwhelmed than before. Not only was I frustrated with the academic side of college, but I was also frustrated with my own lack of desire to make friends or be a part of campus life. Because of these frustrations, I had told myself that there was no point in trying to have fun and really enjoy what time I had left during this period of my life.

As time went on, I was noticing how the people I was supposed to graduate with were selecting their majors and sticking with them. I knew I had to start cracking down. The five-year plan was my new goal and to get there I had to work hard and stop focusing on this “plan” that other people were on. Why was I letting it affect me so much? Sure, it was sad at first to realize that I wouldn’t be graduating with the people I thought I should have been, but it wasn’t the end of the world. The first thing I had to do to really kick-start a new attitude towards being in college another year was deciding on a major. After countless meetings with advisors, online tests, and classes in every area of study that I was mildly interested in, I finally came to the conclusion that English was what I wanted to study. Once that was done, I wanted to put my energy towards making friends and breaking out of my shell.

I was lucky enough to meet many new people during my Junior year, even after I had told myself that the chances of making close friends this late in college was highly unlikely. These are the people who really brought me out of my shell and helped me make the most out of the time I have left at KU. I will not only be able to make great memories with them, but I will also be able to graduate with them. Having a group of people like this really helped enjoy college again.

Last year was the year that made everything click for me. Sure, the first couple of years were not what I expected when going into college, but realizing it’s not too late to turn a situation around and make the most out of what is left is crucial. I am able to enjoy my time now thanks to my friends and my love for what I’m studying. College is a stressful, overwhelming time, but it can also be a really great time. Here's to the class of 2018!