Some of you may already be back home from college, with the semester over and the sunny days in front of you. Maybe you’re stuck in the midst of “Dead-Week,” cramming, writing and barely sleeping. Or maybe your big test is tomorrow and you can’t even. All of your classes have led up to the culminating event of making it, or breaking it, that we call finals week. If you’re in the rough, let’s take a deep breath -- I’m with you. And if the worst is over for you, I’m envious. Regardless, the end of the school year is near for all.

So, what do we have to show for it? What happens now as summer slides into our lives and the next year on campus awaits us? I say we just think about it -- literally. Between classes, studying, activities, clubs, athletics, work, internships, friends, family and Netflix, life can get pretty chaotic. You’ve been a busy body for the last several months, and you’ve definitely earned this break! But you also owe yourself some reflection. As Ferris Bueller would say, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.” In other words, you ought to reflect inward upon yourself. Take a look at what you’ve accomplished, and then react to it. Give yourself a pat on the back, tell your family and friends how proud you are, treat yourself to an extra hour of Netflix, etc. Beyond that, though, think about how your values were put into action.

What were your goals at the beginning of the semester? Did you achieve them? What are your goals now?

My goal was to make it to the end of the year with amazing grades and my great boyfriend. I only earned decent grades, and I found out my now ex-boyfriend wasn't that great -- so now I'm upping my standards. I will give myself a little credit and say that I did manage to get some A's, which is why I let myself watch another episode of "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" -- and five more after that. My current and future goals are practicing academic discipline this summer through reading at least five books and keeping a reflective journal; I'm saving money for more frequent travels while the weather is warm, and I'm also embarking on a relationship with myself so that I can rediscover self-love. Hopefully, I can keep up with these goals and see what they teach me moving forward.

My theology professor asked me the most challenging slew of questions for my class reflection paper when the class was over:

Where have you been? Where are you now? Where are you going?

I have answered them for myself, for who I was before I worked through the semester, and for who I want to be next semester. Briefly, I could say I've been to hell and back. But, in less dramatic terms, I've faced challenges and the easy breezy life. I'm currently trying to figure out how to balance the responsibilities and the enjoyment that comes with the transition from being a teenager to a young adult, and I'm hoping that I'm headed toward furthering my education and gaining the experience to leave a successful mark on society. It's all about this journey of setting your sights on what you want, reaching for it and then redirecting your aim if you miss. Where do you have to aim to reach your goals?

Don’t let these questions stress you out like finals, but I challenge you to take them into consideration this summer. Some may just pat themselves on the back, but after this fifteen-page paper, I’m taking myself out for ice cream! Congratulations on the end of the school year -- you made it!