Your college years are undoubtedly some of the best years of your life. Whether you graduate in four years or stay for more, you're going to make memories that you'll look back on for the rest of your life. And odds are that at some point, you're going to become friends with some upperclassmen. Your college years are where you meet lifelong friends.

Whether it was late night adventures by the river in the freezing cold or that time you almost fell into the campus pond, memories were effortlessly made. Your early years in college are completely different than the last few. Because, as time moves along, so do people. People you knew like the back of your hand become complete strangers simply because you don't see them anymore. Most friendships are based on convenience. It's sad, but true.

Losing close friends to adulthood is a real struggle. I've faced this obstacle several times, but the semester before they graduate is nothing short of an action-packed roller coaster ride. And throughout it, there's going to be setbacks. But there's also going to be amazing memories. Don't take the little moments for granted.

So, if you're an underclassman who's already said goodbye to seniors or if you're going through it right now, you might've experienced these stages of the semester first-hand... or maybe you didn't. Who knows?

1. Excitement to be back together for another great semester.

If you're studying away from home, odds are you've spent the a good portion of the summer wishing you were able to be with your school friends. It's not that your friends at home aren't as awesome, but it's more that you and your college friends are taking on the world together without your parents to be there every step of the way. Although you may have physically grown up with your friends from home, you mentally grew up in college. And honestly, some of us are still growing up. It's weird because some of us find ourselves excited to go back to school now that we're older. I remember mourning the end of summer vacation when I was younger. Many seniors are excited to move on after this semester, but they do realize that this is their last hurrah. Underclassmen who are friends with them are already beginning to mourn that they're best friend won't be around when they return for the new semester. But for now, they just think about how awesome it is to be back together.

2. Party Mode.

So if you're anything like your typical college student, you might've been cooped up all summer. Odds are that your day consisted of: going to your summer job, eating, sleeping and watching Netflix. Maybe I'm alone on that one, but it's no shocker that the first few weeks of the semester are the time that students aren't feeling the pressures of papers, exams and homework. The first wave of "Party Mode" hits during the week of move-in day. It lasts till about the second week of September as seniors attempt to cram in as much fun as possible before they begin stressing over exit exams. But us upperclassmen are still not stressing about post-grad life, so we're down with all the crazy stuff you seniors are ready to drag us through.

3. Denial that it's going to be over soon.

It's natural to get caught up in the good times and not remember that the end of the semester is closer than you think. In my opinion, the semester isn't long enough. Maybe it's because I never want to say goodbye to my friends, but I find myself struggling with the reality that is approaching. And that reality is graduation.

4. Reminiscing over the good times when the end wasn't near.

It's natural to look back and talk about the good old days. As the expiration date on your upperclassman friend's college career is approaching, the good times start to become some sort of obsession as you find yourself wanting to go backwards in time just so you could have more time.

5. Crying because you realize there's just a few weeks left.

Some people may not cry, but there's no denying that you're a little upset that your friends are leaving you. It's not fair that you get to still have fun while they go do grown up things. This one is hitting me really hard lately. My boyfriend is graduating in less than a month. I've found myself trying to come up with any excuse for him to stick around town till I graduate. In addition to that, my best friend here who's worked here since he graduated two years ago, is moving to another state after this semester to pursue his dream job. You might find yourself asking why adulthood wants to take all your friends away as you're finishing up your wonder years.

6. Denial that it's going to happen.

Optimism is the biggest cause of denial. Maybe by some chance, things will stay the same. One thing you can't deny is that it's time for your friend to graduate. Secretly hoping they fail a class doesn't feel right, but them leaving doesn't feel right either.

7. Party Mode.

Homecoming Weekend is the start of the second wave of "Party Mode." This weekend is always exciting if you have friends visiting for the first time since they graduated and left you. Soon after that comes Halloweekend. This wave of Party Mode lasts until a few weeks before Thanksgiving Break. Well, it lasts until finals week is creeping out from behind a bush, ready to attack you like a starving lion.

8. Scrambling to do the things we never got around to.

Maybe you procrastinated, maybe you didn't. There's a million things you and your friends swore you were going to do, but you maybe didn't have the time to do. My best friend and I swore that we were going to go running by Lake Champlain every Sunday afternoon starting the first week of school. It still hasn't happened. Sometimes we get so busy that we don't have the time to do what we wanted to. But it's never too late to try!

9. Crying and promising the week of graduation.

"I promise we're going to keep in touch!"
"We're going to visit each other all the time!"

For anyone's sake, I hope these hold true. Your college friends stick with you during the weirdest transitional period of your life. Saying goodbye and preparing yourself for the ceremony that forces your friends into adulthood takes a toll on your feelings, as well.

10. Holding back tears at the ceremony.

I may or may not be a drama queen, so being told "you better not cry" isn't something new to me. I've got a couple of "Why are you crying? You get to come back next semester." Well excuse me for getting emotional because my friends are leaving me and growing up without me.

11. Party Mode. (Last Hurrah!)

Graduation parties are the last wave of party mode. Finals week may or may not be completely stressful, but at least graduation parties give you an excuse to be completely ridiculous with your friends one last time before they get "Big Kid Jobs". Cherish every remaining moment.

12. An Abundance of mixed emotions because you’re happy that your friend is doing well, but depressed that they’re leaving you.

A little bit after the semester ends, your friends are bound to start joining the work force. This only makes it that much harder to coordinate schedules and find a time when visiting is convenient. So you get a little bit sad that you're still in college because they're off experiencing the real world and not able to have fun with you.

13. Denial that they're gone.

When you return for the next semester, it hits you harder than ever that they're actually gone. No more Taco Tuesdays. No more late night walks to get drunk pizza. No more quality time laying around in sweats, procrastinating about every little thing. They're not around, and you're going to have to find new companions to hang out with. Or you can just sit and stare out a window like Bella did the first time Edward left her.

14. Excitement for next homecoming weekend.

But it's going to be okay because they'll be back for homecoming weekend... and feeling "excited' is, by all means, an understatement.