Sophomore year. It flew by just as fast at it arrived. A wave of relief washes over you as you step out of your last final, submit your last paper, return your last textbook. So caught up in the stress of finals week, cramming for tests that decide the fate of your grades, you neglected to appreciate what sophomore year has really taught you.
Looking back, you realize you aren't the same person you were at the beginning of the school year. Memories of the past year flood your mind. The good, the bad, and the ugly, they've all been slowly shaping you into the adult you never thought you'd become. Parties, dates, friendships, even those mental breakdowns you'd rather not look back on; each provides experience, a lesson they can't teach you in lecture.
Many look at college as a place to further your education, but it provides you with much more than a degree. With each course, you learn more about yourself and what you can and want to accomplish. That one test you bombed is just another lesson learned, at least that’s what you can convince your parents. Because what fun would college be if you didn't make mistakes every once in a while (or everyday)?
I could wrap-up with a couple more clichés, but I'll leave that to the Hallmark professionals. Embrace your mistakes and as they say, "live in the moment", because, at this point, I think we've all realized they're right when they say it goes by way too fast. Congratulations to my now fellow juniors, you're halfway there.
