What are the cons of graduating early? You miss out on a year? You miss out on alcohol and bar-hopping?

I thought my friends and family would be proud of me for being able to finish a year early. I truly believed it was such a blessing that I could save so much money and be thrust into a world where I can finally be working and making a difference — being someone.

The only people who were truly happy was my immediate family. My parents celebrated that saving of 40k by booking a vacation to Europe this summer (just a tad ironic).

My close high school friends, family friends, people I tell, they always give me… "the look."

"The look" that says, "College is the best four years of your life! What are you doing cutting that down?"

I don't want to believe college is the best four years of my life. What? Am I seriously supposed to think it's all downhill from here? Is my getting a dream-job, finally being independent, living through my twenties and thirties, having a husband, having children — raising a family — Christmas dinners with the relatives…that's all going to be soo much worse?

I want to make every year the best it can be and truth be told, college is a bubble. It's a wonderful, fun, intoxicating bubble, but it's not worth staying in if I'm ready to go. It's not worth spending 40k on if I have the credits I need.

So, if you are graduating a year early, do take the three years you have and milk them for all they can be. Because I knew I was cutting myself a year short of college, I tried more things, talked to more people, got rejected more times by experiences because I put myself out there, but nonetheless, I stood out there, knowing I am doing my best.

Sometimes, when moments are cut shorter, it makes you value them all the more.

Because I am graduating a year early, I threw myself at random opportunities that I wouldn't have otherwise. I randomly signed up to be a counselor at Outdoor School — and I am never one who you look at and think, "Oh yeah, she screams 'nature'".

I was more confident in making friends, asking guys out. I was more confident in applying for positions in councils or internships that I probably would've told myself to just apply for "next year."

I even decided I want to make sure I do a service trip next year in case my last year I won't have time.

It's amazing…the frenzy that devours you as you realize your time is cut short…but it makes the time you do spend in college all the sweeter, all the better.

So my point is, what we early-graduating-students can do in three years, it takes others four…so please don't give anyone "the look," and if you are the one graduating early, don't listen to those who give you "the look."

Be proud of yourself and the hard work it took to get you to this position.

Now, enjoy every second of this bubble, before it pops and you'll move onto another.