As a long chapter in your life comes to a close, it is hard not to be worried of the future and a bit scared of the unknown. Depending on the route you took, the past four to six years have probably been full of tests, quizzes, research papers, public speaking, and presentations. During that same time, you have probably made lifelong friends and possibly lost a few along the way; been in and out of relationships and maybe found the person you plan to share the rest of your life with; shared many sleepless nights, some of which you’ll never forget and others you may never remember, but most importantly you made it through with the support of your loved ones and you can never repay them for that.

The day you left home and began that new chapter in your life there was a similar feeling to what you are experiencing right now. College was the future and the unknown that you were leery about and look how far you have come since that nerve-wracking day in late August. During that summer and the days leading up to your new beginning you did not have everything figured out. You didn’t know who your friends would be, how strict professors would be about APA formatting, how many case studies and research papers you would be writing, and you definitely didn’t know how fast your bank account could go dry. Now as you walk away from that long, yet short-lived chapter, you would be more than prepared to take college on, but that isn’t what life is all about.

Life is about taking on those challenges and being excited about the new opportunities that you have been blessed to encounter. Life is about not knowing what the future may hold, but looking forward to the plans in store for you. Life is about working hard because regardless of what other people may say, it truly will pay off in the end. But one of the most important lessons to remember when leaving college and entering the real world is that being rich doesn’t always mean having a ton of money. Sometimes the richest people in the world are simply those that are the happiest and fullest of life. This is especially important to consider as you begin your next journey and have those treacherous student loans to pay back, as well as beginning to support yourself. Remember to always look back and appreciate all that you have and all those that helped you get to where you are now and be thankful that regardless of your student loan debt, you can still be full of life and rich on happiness.

But for now, imagine yourself as that wide-eyed college freshman entering a brand new community without a clue, yet feeling as if everyone else has it all figured out and remember you made it through and now you’re the one who knows it like the back of your hand. So give it a few years, within no time you’ll be the expert on this chapter of your life and you’ll be great at it!