Last week, I began my fifth year of college, or 17th grade. I could have easily made it out in four years if I’d known what I wanted to do with my life; I never imagined I’d be in school so long, I never wanted to be; I wanted to be in and out of school in four years and find a job doing something I love shortly after. But I wasn't one of those kids that knew what I wanted to do from age ten. Honestly, I still don’t. So, here I am, participating in yet another year of school, not because I failed my classes or had a party phase or any of the other things the term "super senior" connotes. Instead, I’m a “super senior” that’s just a confused, eternal student who’s trying to figure her life out.

We haven’t even made it through a full week of classes yet and I already feel kind of out of place; I don’t see the same group of faces everyday, the school has changed in some ways, most of the people in my classes are younger than me, and I know I won't run into some of my best friends in the halls anymore. You kind of feel like you're the only one left, especially since you remember the school and some events that happened before several of the newest classes got there.

To make matters better, sitting through my fifth "syllabus day" in each class was kind of painful; the information doesn't change that much from year to year. Plus, it was just another reminder that I'm behind. I’m sure I’ll keep getting similar reminders in those pesky emails about graduation invitations, filing for graduation, and all the other things that come when you’re on your way out the door. But I do get to stick around and wave goodbye to all the people who are actually going to graduate in a year, leaving me with even fewer familiar faces. I’d rather not be constantly reminded that I’m not graduating late. Believe it or not, it gets to you after a while.

While I joke about being an eternal student a good bit, finding out I had two more years of school left was pretty upsetting, not to mention stressful. I’ve been eagerly looking forward to the day when I get to move away from this town and state to begin my very own life in a city that truly feels like home. It’s difficult seeing other people my age graduating, getting great jobs in awesome places, doing internships, and getting married while I’m stuck in college still chasing down a degree. Let’s not even discuss the fact people are getting married at 22 and 23, deciding who they want to spend the rest of their lives with and I don’t even really know what I want to do with my life.

I do know I didn’t want to be 24 and just getting out on my own because, for some reason, 24 seems really old. Truth is, it’s not. 22 is a young age to put yourself out in this huge world and try to make something of yourself when there are millions of others trying so hard to do the same thing. Similarly, 24 is just as young; there are plenty of good years after 24 left to start your own life. I have to remind myself of this a lot to keep from feeling like a failure.

The fact of the matter is that college is not a contest to see who can make it in and out the fastest and get the best results. Everybody is going to have their own unique successes, discoveries, and struggles in college. Sometimes, you get set back, stuff happens. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you or that you’re automatically set up to fail because you took longer than the average person to make it out of school. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

If you’re like me and you’re over the whole school deal, being patient enough to make it to graduation will be hard. It’s not that you don’t want to graduate, you just want to be out in the world living your life and figuring out what you want to do more than anything else. However, the idea of dropping out has crossed your mind once or twice. People will tell you to enjoy college while it lasts, and you should; it’s a great, once-in-a-lifetime experience. You make great memories and friends that will stick with you forever.

But, the more you think about being out on your own and what the world after college is like, the more you chicken out of getting there; you realize there may be some truth to the old saying, "it's not as cracked up to be." It's easy to get caught up in our hopes and dreams for our futures that we forget about the present. Don't forget about the world around you at present; have patience and know that you'll make it across that stage. It won't be easy but it'll be a heck of a lot easier if you take it day by day instead of trying to jump across a river in one leap. You're lucky enough, yes lucky, to get some extra time to get the full college experience; enjoy it, don't pass up any opportunity you're given.

Meanwhile, pressure from parents, professors, peers, ourselves, and society can make enjoying your college years a challenge, especially when you feel like you're behind. I know I’ve felt overwhelmed more than once and I probably will several more times. Being a fifth or sixth-year student seems to mean there will be more pressure since we're even more ready to get out; you almost start to feel a little defective. But, even in the pressure cooker, it’s important for students, especially super seniors, to remember they are young and they have more than enough time and ability to make something of themselves.

It’s okay not to graduate in four years. More and more students have to stay an extra semester or year just to get a degree these days. Don't put more stress on yourself to graduate as soon as you can and figure out your future. You have the rest of your life to do that. Don’t get hung up on the fact that you’ll get a later start to your life after college than somebody else. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you get an education, finish your degree, start your life, and go at it full steam ahead.

Age 23, 24, 25, or 26 is not too old to start your life; it's just a number. You’re still young at 24 and you will have plenty of time to make something of yourself and live an awesome, full life. You just have to go for it.