No one could possibly miss community bathrooms, crappy dining hall food and overlapping deadlines. It’s not like once we graduated, we thought to ourselves what a shame it would be that we don’t get to eat Ramen for breakfast anymore or come up with creative new ways to make beer funnels. No, we crossed that stage and snatched up our diplomas and glorified that slip of paper that is the cause of so much sweat, caffeine and student debt.

We relished being part of that 40% of college goers and overcoming crappy weather, tough professors, and the other college pressures. We were standing there on the top of the hill, jumping for joy over reaching the summit. And then we saw the huge world waiting for us on the other side, and part of us wished we could inch ourselves back down the way we came.

I was not supposed to love my undergraduate university as much as I do. It’s in rural town, with one night club, no Insomnia Cookies and shoddy WiFi for online gaming. Not even the Walmart in the town over is open 24 hours. In theory, no college kid should like that. Throughout my four years there, many of my peers didn’t, and let that be known, and left. Or worse, they stayed, and dragged their feet from class to class, event to event.

I count my lucky stars every day that I threw myself into the amazing academic world that is out there. I got to interact with incredible students, faculty, staff and the occasional person from town. I have little, if any, regrets from my undergraduate experience. I am absolutely ready to go on to the next phase of my life, without looking back. And yet….

This time of year rolled around and my social media was flooded with statuses about moving in and new student orientation. Articles popped up about what First Year students should and shouldn’t pack, or what to expect, or how to face senior year. These brought smiles to my face, but also a pang to my stomach.

Nostalgia is a funny word because it sounds light and fluffy, but once it takes hold of you, it can be rather sad as well. It brings these feelings like I’m supposed to be somewhere or I’m forgetting to do something. Or other times I think it’s not possible that time at my undergraduate university is passing by because I haven’t gotten there yet. At the moments it’s really bad, I get brought down by thinking I’m going to miss out on things going on out there.

The key for me is to take a step back and find satisfaction from that nostalgia. It is amazing and gratifying to know just how much these last few years have impacted my life. I’m not going to forget some of the people I have met, or the things I’ve learned. I’m not going to forget the way I’d get butterflies in my stomach when the campus came into view, or the way the stars looked from outside my different residence halls.

I am finding satisfaction in the nostalgia by knowing the experiences I’ve had will prepare me for what lies ahead. That’s what people always say, but it’s another thing to actually believe it. So for those of you pursuing graduate school, entering the workforce, or taking time off, believe it.

I’ll be keeping tabs on that place, no doubt. Especially while I still have friends there. And it helps to remember it’s never a ‘goodbye,’ but always a ‘see you later.’