It's already October, which means that we are halfway done with senior year. When I was a freshman, I was so thankful that time seemed to go by faster in college than it had in high school. But now that our time in school is coming to an end, I'm starting to fear that all of the adults in my life were right, time seems to go faster the older you get. And the faster time goes, the more my fear that I'm missing out increases.
So I wanted to write a letter to those going through the same changes as I am. Because if I'm being completely honest, I'm scared out of my mind. I used to laugh at the seniors before me who were crying because they didn't want to leave college. I thought they were insane for not wanting to leave school for the real world. But let's be honest–we now all know exactly why they told us to make the most of every opportunity, to stay in school and to love it with all in our heart.
Because time flies by. And it doesn't slow down. Ironically enough, the quote on my high school senior T-shirt was, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller
Well, here I am, still speeding through and almost forgetting to stop. But maybe this is something I don't want to forget.
Because in a year from now, we all are going to be scattered. Let's just take that in for a moment. In high school, I knew I was going to a school near my family and friends, and I knew I could go back home. Now, though, all of our futures' are up in the air. There's no distinct lines or any parental pressure to go here. There's no big arrow sign saying "Pick me! Go Here! We want you!" Jobs aren't coming to campus to convince me to work there.
I'm scared of what's ahead. But I'm thankful for what I'm leaving behind. I'm thankful for the legacy I'm leaving, and for the people and experiences that have shaped me.
To my friends who stuck by me in college who knew me before: Thank you for supporting me through all the changes. Through late night study sessions, through my (many) failed relationships to get to that right one, through the tears and laughter and complaints and rejoicing, thank you for being there for the growth that happened these last four years. I am not the same as I was before, hopefully for the better, and I'm so thankful that you supported me through it.
To my new friends: Thank you, thank you for giving this awkward girl a chance. You didn't have to talk to me that day I was behind in class and help me with notes, you didn't have to give me a ride to my first swap, and you didn't have to be there for the mistakes I made. But you were. And you were the reason I learned to love myself for more than just who I was in the past, and learned that friendships are gifts that you can find wherever you are in life.
To my fellow seniors, these years have been short and sweet and they have flown by quickly. We may be drowning in midterms, and our bodies may be up to 90% caffeine at this point, but we are so close. Graduation is next semester, so let's take this time. Let's not rush it, but instead, slow down and appreciate all the little moments. Because unfortunately, we aren't going to get this back again.
