If I could describe senior year of college in one word besides fun, it would be stressful. While most of us are 21 and we don't need to worry about many drinking rules, real life is upon us. Hearing someone from career services remind us we have nine months until graduation was a little bit of a wake-up call. We probably have nearly eight months at this point.

Now we actually have to figure out what we want to do once we do hopefully graduate and leave school. For the first time in our lives, there may not be a set path. After middle school, you knew high school was next, and after that it was college for many people, and after that? It might be graduate school, post-graduate service, a job, or just Netflix and chill. Whatever it is, we have to decide. Many of us can't honestly say where we'll be in the next eight or nine months and that's a little unnerving.

Now, your resume, cover letter, and portfolio isn't just something that will hopefully get you a job or internship, but your gateway into your desired path. These have to be pristine — or else. The quality of these things may determine where you'll end up. No pressure, right? Career services is booked with appointments; probably from seniors needing to have meetings to feel like they have it all together, somewhat, at least.

This is the year that things count. You'll be doing many things for the last time and you can't really shake that thought. If you don't have time to join a club or take a class, you can't say you'll do it next year because well, this is the last one. But maybe this year you'll figure out what and who is truly meaningful to you and worth making time for. Although this may be the most stressful year, it will probably be one filled with laughter, love, and a lot of fun, senior-only events.

While the real world seems like a terrifying place where you must start paying your loans, working a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and maybe even having to cook for yourself (gasp!), we can get there. All of us. It seems ridiculously hard, but many people have done it before us and will do if after us. We can't let the big, bad real world get us down. Things will fall into place and before we know it what once seemed scary will feel normal and hopefully enjoyable too.