Growing up for most people means, graduating from high school and applying to the dream school. Your mind plays through all of the scenarios that could possibly happen while you're at that dream school. Once you get to that school, it's everything you always dreamed of. You meet your future lifelong friends, you get straight A's, you get to have a good time on the weekend, and you don't have to worry about your parents being there to question every decision you make.

For most college kids, they love it. It's a fun and exciting four years. You get to live on your own, do schoolwork, and party all the time. It's a chance to finally start over. When you're in high school everyone knows everyone. You usually know all the gossip in high school and sometimes it's hard when everyone's in each others business. But college is completely different. College is the chance to start over and meet new people who don't know a single thing about you.

I understand why people love college. Why wouldn't you love it? Having the chance to basically do whatever you want for four years and not have a worry in the world, except for maybe a class or two that is causing you some trouble. It all sounds so amazing, right?

Unfortunately, it's not always like that for everyone. To those who don't love college, or those who already graduated and didn't love it. It's okay, I didn't love it either. College is what is expected of most recent high school graduates nowadays. You're supposed to go to college, get a degree, and get a job.

Don't get me wrong though. Every part of me wanted to go to college. I knew I wanted to be a college athlete and get a degree in Marketing. Both of those things did in fact happen. Unlike most people, I didn't love the college experience.

My first year I went to a school that I hated. I went there because I received a large scholarship to swim for them. That was my only reason for going to the school. I didn't love the college and I was too far from home. I cried everyday but stuck it out for the entire year.

After my first year, I transferred schools. This new school was beautiful. The campus was amazing, I liked all my classes and I was closer to home. I continued to swim for the next 3 years at my new school. The only bad thing about being a transfer was creating new friendships. It was like freshman year all over again. I didn't make those freshman year best friends that everyone else made. I had to slowly create friendships through my teammates since I didn't know anyone. Everyone in college wants to go out on the weekend and have a good time. I liked partying and having a good time but I also didn't want it to consume my life at college.

By senior year, I was ready to pack up everything and graduate. I was excited for the next adventure in my life. I made some great friends in college but the overall experience was far from what I had expected it to be. You're allowed to be ready for life after college even if your friends aren't.

No matter what, I am thankful for my college experience for those four years, it taught me a lot about myself and others. Most importantly, it taught me that just because everyone else loves college... doesn't mean I had to love it.