As this fateful spring semester of my college career begins, I can truthfully say that I am very excited it is my last. It's not like this is a secret to anyone in my life, but I am so done with college. What is a secret, though, is how confusing and annoying it can get when I tell people this very known fact, and they scoff or roll their eyes. "It's the best time in your life, enjoy it before you have to live in the real world," or, "It's not that bad. You're going to miss it when you don't have it anymore." I'm not saying the people saying these things are wrong, but I also do not agree with them.

Do they remember what it was like to be in college? Do they remember the stress ridden nights of too little sleep and being expected to get up, go to class and actually take part in it? Do they remember what it was like not getting a break because they had to work? And when they didn't have to work, they still couldn't rest because they had to study? And when they didn't have to work and finished their homework, they had to spend hours doing a job for an internship that isn't going to help them pay the bills?

While I have had a great college experience that I never thought I would have, it has also been one of the most challenging times in my life. And while being in college might be seen as "the good-ole-days," there is a lot more to it than just partying it up and going to social events. I didn't get on the Dean's list every semester by going out and partying with my friends every weekend (not like I could even afford that). I didn't spend every minute sleeping and taking naps. I didn't get breaks in between semesters because I worked so I could come back and finish my degree.

I want to know who started this whole "real world" saying. I am pretty sure being in college constitutes as being in the "real world." I read an article about this topic of college not being the real world by some high literary author last semester. One reason that was given was, if you make a mistake, it isn't the end of the world. You can learn from it and try again. But doesn't that happen to everyone? Maybe it's at a lesser degree in some cases, but there are plenty of severe punishments for certain mistakes. Just like there is when you're out of school and in the "real world."

And what about the other things? All throughout college, we still have jobs to go to, bills to pay, taxes to file, and food to budget. Just like everyone else. On top of that, we also have student organizations to attend to, volunteering, unpaid internships, workshops, showcases, classes, hours upon hours of studying, piles of never ending homework and tuition bills. Through all of that, we are still expected to eat, sleep and take care of ourselves. I can't even count how many all-nighters I had to pull during these past three and a half years. So, how is this "not that bad?" Honestly, I am looking forward to having the humdrum full-time job and nothing else. It will make paying the bills a lot easier.

Don't get me wrong, I am grateful and so proud that I am going to graduate from a four year university. I also made a lot of great memories and made life long friends. I would not change anything if I had the option to. But when a college student, that actually works hard for the things they achieve, say that they are tired, have some humility and ask them about the things weighing them down. Don't scoff at them and treat them like they're naive little children who don't know what is coming to them after graduation. Give them a little encouragement and say that it will pay off in the end. Be proud that they actually went to college and stuck with it all those years. Build them up, don't knock them down.