On Wednesday I woke up a senior in college. I had spent all summer telling people I would "be a senior in the fall," and suddenly I found myself arriving on campus, totally not ready to start the first day of my fourth year: the scariest and most exhilarating year of them all. I walked around, pointing to all my fellow Class of '17 friends, marveling in the realization that we are the cool cats now. Naturally, a plethora of thoughts ran through my head, including but not limited to:
Thought 1: Senior year, senior year, senior year, senior year...
Thought 2: Dude, being an upperclassman is the best.
Thought 3: *sees group of freshman* HAHA! BABIES!
Thought 4: I can be late to class, right? I mean, I've been on time for three years, they can cut me some slack...
Thought 5: If one more person asks me what I'm planning to do after graduation I'm just gonna curl up and go back to bed and pretend I don't exist. Is that acceptable? Cool. Thanks.
Thought 6: I'm gonna need coffee. Like, a lot of it.
Thought 7: Confirmed: not sleeping until Christmas.
Thought 8: Do I have to pay for my cap and gown?
Thought 9: I can't wait to get outta here...
Thought 10: NEVER MIND I NEVER WANT TO LEAVE!
Thought 11: You. Will. Not. Cry. At. Convocation.
Thought 12: I thought senior year was taking 4 classes and journaling a lot...
Thought 13: Nope. It's 6 classes and extracurriculars and a whole lot of responsibility.
Thought 14: Gosh I love these people.
Thought 15: Scary thought: we'll all see each other for the 10 year reunion and we might have spouses and kids.
Thought 16: I wonder when it will be acceptable to call my profs by their first names?
Thought 17: *freshman complaining about a 300 word response paper due by the next class* One day, young Padawan. One day, it will be so much worse.
Thought 18: This year is going to crawl by, right?
Thought 19: Pretty sure this year is going to fly by.
Thought 20: I'm just gonna take it as it comes.
Thought 21: This is going to be the best year yet.
Thought 22: 252 days.
Thought 23: But who's counting?
Whatever year you started in this week, may it be full of life, learning, and challenges. Looking back over the past three years, I can honestly say that I am not the same person I was in 2013 when I stepped on campus for the first day of my freshman year. Let yourself grow in ways you never imagined. And don't be afraid for the future. God's got your back, and he has a marvelous plan for you today, tomorrow, and the all the days after that.
