One thing that became very apparent to me in college is that graduating in four years becomes less likely as you continue. The only time where this is a guarantee is if you enter college knowing exactly what you want and you do decent in your classes.

It also really depends on your major. If you're a STEM major, at least include another semester. Besides the fact that the classes that you must take are some of the hardest, the curriculum for the major is also very long and usually can't move on in the major without at least getting a C in the previous course.

Now that I think about it, let me reword this. If you are a STEM major and you go to Stony Brook University, then at least include another semester to your life. Everything that I'm saying is based on my experiences at Stony Brook University, so I shouldn't lump all schools together.

This last semester that passed made many of my friends and I realize that we might graduate a semester later than we originally thought.

When I originally entered Stony Brook my freshman year, I came as an English major. I love reading and writing, those were my passions. But it took one British Literature class to ruin the whole thing for me.

I soon became a journalism major. The thing about journalism at Stony Brook is that it is a very rigorous program. Seeing as I didn't start taking the phase one classes until the sophomore year of my college career, I was behind. It became even more apparent that I might be stuck for another semester this semester when I realized that the senior year project class is a class that they want you to take with no other class. That semester, I was planning on sticking it with two other classes.

When I realized that I might be here for another semester, I was so upset.

I would have to watch my friends all graduate before me. But it soon became apparent that this would not be the case. Many of my friends admitted that being there for that fifth semester was very likely for them. So, in the end, I wouldn't be alone.

For anyone who thinks that they might be in school for a fifth or sixth semester, don't put too much thought into it. I mean, I understand that it wasn't part of the life plan, but when did life go according to plan?

Don't think you are alone. I've come across many students who have found themselves stuck in college longer than they have anticipated. One thing you will notice in college is that this normal, so don't think you are the odd one out. At the end of the day, you came to college to get the degree and find your future, so make the most out of it. Do what you came to do and get that degree!