My freshman year of college is quickly coming to a close. It's been a great year, but it hasn't come without its challenges. This has undoubtedly been one of the most eventful years of my life; both good and bad. But are the trials and tribulations worth it? Is college really "the best four years of our lives?"

The beginning is always the most exciting, living on your own, meeting new people. It's a brand new adventure and you're able to experience it on your own. Yet as the months go by, it gets a little harder. You might meet some people who don't bring out the best in you. It's easy to get swept up in the fast pace; the parties, the people, the fun. It's a vicious cycle, and once you're caught, it's hard to take a step back again.

Classes get more difficult. No one really tells you how to study for the tests, and you're not exactly required to go to class. In a lecture hall of 150 people, the professor would never know of your absence. There are many "easy outs" that can be very tempting to take. It's easy to fall between the cracks and lose sight of who you are.

I am guilty of all these things. I have been down the wrong path and forgotten my morals and who I am. I have slept through 8 a.m. classes, gotten bad grades on tests and lost a few friendships. Yet all the negatives have led me to the positives.

I am convinced this is why college is commonly referred to as the best four years of our lives. It's not because every moment is full of fun, as I once thought. It's not the parties and the cool people that go out every weekend. It's not the freedom you get from your parents. It's the journey. A special adventure that you go on with yourself to learn the deepest parts of your soul, how you react to certain situations and the people. I have learned so much about myself in the past year, and I know that I will continue to learn and grow throughout the next three years.

Here's to "'the best four years of our lives," and the journey that will go along with it.