If senior year has taught me anything, besides the academics, it's that you really need to live every year like it is your senior year. Freshman, sophomore and junior year should all have the same attitude towards life as I learned my senior year in college. Senior year, whether you are in high school or college, you are in the final year of the school you're at. You're preparing for your next step whether that be college or a career. Then it hits you that by moving onto that next step, you are ultimately going to leave a few things behind. Some people and friends you met along the way won't travel with you to your next story. Some of the drama you encountered will be left in the chapter it was created. Also, you personally will begin to change too; hopefully it's a positive change.

Senior year of college has changed my outlooks on life. I used to get involved in every bit of drama and I felt as though I had to know absolutely everything going on at once. Then, I learned that I was just wasting precious time. You see, you start to realize that this is really it. After the academic year, you will receive a diploma or a degree and you will be on your way. Nobody is going to remember that embarrassing thing you did in your history class or all of your crushes throughout the duration of your school years. Life is truly too short to waste your time on the silly, small stuff that nobody is truly going to remember at your class reunions. This year has also taught me that you only really need to worry about yourself and as long as you feel OK, well then there's nothing to complain about. Truthfully, which I learned the hard way, you cannot rely on everyone to make you happy. It's not always about having the perfect boyfriend or girlfriend to show off to the world. It's also not about being the skinniest thing or getting hundreds of likes on your social media pages. This is just what media wants us to believe. Happiness is what you create and what you do to make yourself feel it. If you want to dye your hair a certain color, go for it. You want to get away and travel somewhere; I encourage it. Only you can limit yourself, nobody else should limit you. I also learned that you cannot rely on everyone to drop everything at the drop of a hat just because you do for everyone else. Life does not work that way and it took me 21 years to open my eyes to the fact.

Once I realized this about senior year, I started to regret not having this attitude sooner. Since this positive attitude, I have noticed myself actually enjoying life. I no longer dwell on the little things and only control what I personally can control. I start to actually do things that I enjoy rather than things I think I should do for other people. I am living a much healthier lifestyle than I did previously. I could only imagine what life would have been like if I embraced this attitude a long time ago. I may be stuck with "what ifs" about the past, but now I know what I can do to shape myself for a more positive future.

Here's to senior year and the journey that follows.