"And now, the end is near, and so I face the final curtain…"

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, everyone is starting to feel the holiday jitters. Finals are coming up, two major breaks in the semester are approaching, the mornings are colder, and the days are shorter. Everyone is now starting to realize just how close we are to the end of the semester.

"I’ve lived a life that’s full, I traveled each and every highway…"

Almost every freshman and transfer student can remember getting lost around campus in the beginning of the year, taking wrong turns and basically taking mini-tours of campus, trying to find their classes.

"I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption, I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway…"

Most students came into the semester with a plan to get by, when to eat, when to study, maybe even when to party. Of course, no matter how hard you plan, something always comes up and you’re forced to improvise. But, you still ended up where you needed to be.

"Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew, when I bit off more than I could chew…"

Remember all those organizations you signed up for during your first week? Did you end up going to every single meeting and event? Did you go to every school event that you said you would attend? Did you show up to every single class? Probably not, but that’s okay, you had the experience, you learned a little something and now you’re ready for next semester.

"I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried, I’ve had my fill, my share of losing, and now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing…"

As the year comes to an end, think back on everything you’ve done up to this point. All the friends you’ve made, all the changes that have happened? Sometimes things weren’t great, but you overcame it. Think of all the laughs, all the dancing, and all the 2AM trips to Jack in the Box after a night out with friends. Think of all the times you’ve cried and how pointless it all seems now. Smile because you’ve made it this far, and laugh because you thought you wouldn’t at some point.

"The record shows I took the blows and did it my way…"

Sure, you bombed some quizzes or exams. Sure you fought with some people, and yes, you’ve probably stopped talking to that friend you thought would stick beside you for the next four years. And even after, overall you’ve experienced an exciting part of your life. It’s okay to take an “L” sometimes, but don’t let it happen so often that you stop striving for a “W.” You know what to expect and you can prepare yourself for an even better in your own unique way.