So, this is it. The year I've been waiting for. I'm a college senior, and I'm ready to take it by the horns. Let me be completely honest- I didn't think I was going to make it this far. At one point (or, a few points, actually), I was entirely ready to drop everything and accept my fate as a broke, box-dwelling misfit for the rest of my life. But I made it. And nothing can stop me now.

These last few years have been a ride. I'm surprised my family, my friends or I have not all gone insane. All the money that I didn't spend on latest edition textbooks (WITH the access codes) and mass amounts of school supplies went to food and coffee. It's not like I didn't have a meal plan or anything, but man, did Taco Bell just taste so much better when I was cramming for exams! The amount of coffee I drank during the past three years on a daily basis could and should be considered illegal in all 50 states.

And let's just talk about the late nights. There were countless times my friends and I made a vow to stay up all night long and study for an exam or finals the next day. There were so many issues with that because first of all, we never studied. We always blasted music, ate snacks and laughed about everything. Second of all, we always fell asleep. It was an endless cycle of pointlessness that we just could not get enough of. We were always so tired and groggy the next day!

College is very stressful. It's brought me to tears quite a few times over the past three years. Academics, social life, personal life, emotions, mental stability- all of these things paired up with a new found independence mixed with financial responsibility, and just surviving is a bundle within a person just waiting to explode. And it's okay. I've realized this actually happens to a lot of college students.

One of the most important things I've learned is that I am not the same person I was when I walked through my freshman dorm's doors on move-in day. I won't be the same person when I receive my diploma in May. I've learned that all of these things I've experienced- the long days, being broke, sleepless nights, stress and anxiety- are all just obstacles that prepare me for the real world. They either make me or break me, and so far, they have made me very diligent and strong.

I think I can put up with just one more year.