The other day, I drove past my old high school. It has been a full year since I walked the halls of my Alma Mater, and so much has happened. My freshman year of college was probably the best year of my life so far, and driving by the place I called home for four years made me think about just how much I miss my new family at Millsaps. Four years ago, I was savoring the last few weeks of summer before sophomore year in high school started, and now I am dying to get back to Jackson. My sudden urge for summer to end took me by surprise, and I finally figured out the cause.

First of all, every summer in high school, I was with my best friends 24/7. Whether we were at cross country practice, spending the night at each other’s houses, going on pizza dates, etc., we were always together. Yet as a college student, my best friends are all in different places and getting together takes weeks of planning. When four people, living in four cities, try to hang out, nothing goes exactly as you thought it would. I was not expecting summer vacation to be as lonely as it is.

Second, midway through 10th grade, I got my driver's license, but found myself with no new car in the driveway on my birthday. My newfound freedom came with the price of begging my parents to borrow the car and for gas money. I had never had a job, therefore, any spending money came from puppy eyes and promises to do chores. About a month ago, I totaled the car I learned to drive in, and somehow convinced my parents to buy a 2012 Tahoe (after years of driving a 2001). It is heaven! I finally have some independence to do what I want, when I want. I still have no money despite having worked three jobs on campus, thus, I sit at home anyway, but at least this time, it’s my choice.

The third major difference I have noticed between high school and college is I now have a plan for my life. Four years ago, I had never been in love. I had never been away from home. I definitely had no clue what I was going to do for the rest of my life. Now I have had my heart broken, and I have a new confidence in myself that I am just fine being who I am. I know what I want, and I think I know how to get it. Somehow, even without ever taking an art class in high school, I decided that art is the major for me. Although it is terrifying that I could fail miserably, I have a passion and a plan to become a great architect and nothing can stand in my way. I believe that only the experience of traveling three hours away from the only place I have ever lived could have given me the self-assurance I needed to decide on a career and the guts to pursue it. I will always be grateful for the lessons I have learned while chasing my dreams.

People always tell you that high school and college are the best years of your life. Maybe they're right, and maybe they're not. The past four years of my life have been pretty great, and I can only hope that they will continue to get better. Who knows where I will be four years from now? I know what I hope will happen, but there is no guarantee. All I know for sure is where I have been and the dreams I have for the future.