Summer is fast approaching and so is the end of the school year. As a college student, I’m about as torn about moving into the summer as the New England weather is. There are moments when I can’t wait to be done and there are moments when I can’t believe how quickly the year has gone by. Most of all I can’t believe how much there is to be done within the next three weeks. I write this as my roommate rambles on about a bio exam, a multivariable exam, a linear algebra exam, a Montserrat paper, and a presentation. Meanwhile, I write this while I should be studying for my bio quizzes, upcoming bio exam, sign language quizzes, and writing two research papers and a Montserrat paper.

In addition to the educational side of things, there’s also the planning for next year. We’re planning our class schedules and anxiously awaiting our lottery numbers for housing selections. Add in the anticipation for spring weekend (Third Eye Blind and JoJo #blessed) and a heaping side of field hockey practices and tournaments and you’ve got a jam-packed three weeks left.

Have I stressed you out yet? Have you had this conversation with your friends multiple times in the past few weeks and not done anything to get a head start on things? Are you suddenly torn between wanting to go home but wanting more time to get everything done and to be with your friends? Congratulations and welcome to the home stretch.

Everybody tells us they’re going to fly by, the college years. Now, as we approach the end of this year we begin to take that a little bit more seriously. Whether we’re freshmen or seniors, it rings true for us all. Our time here is limited, so add that to the list of reasons why we don’t want to wish our time away. The next few weeks may be filled with stressful events and due dates but there’s also so much to be done with our “college” friends.

Soon enough, we’ll all be heading our separate ways for the summer to jobs, internships, summer houses, etc. We won’t be living the dorm life anymore. We won’t be making weekend plans anymore unless it’s a road trip to visit each other. In three weeks, everything will be changing so add in the pressure to make the most of every minute and your schedule is really piling up.

At the same time, you can see your friends back home awaiting your return. Everybody is starting to trickle their way back into town as their finals end. Our brains are becoming fogged up with thoughts of bonfires, night swimming, beach days and ice cream outings. The drive to study is dwindling and we want nothing more than to be done with the work. We want to be able to throw our planners into the fire and watch the thoughts of homework burn away for a couple of months. We’re torn between not wanting the year to end because as I said before, time is limited and wanting nothing more than to be home with our family, friends and most importantly, our dogs.

We want summer, but we don’t. We want classes to end but we don’t want to leave our friends. We want to enjoy every moment but we want to make our summer plans. We want the time to fly by but we want more of it to get our work done and make some more memories. We’re torn between wanting to be done and not wanting it to go by too quick. It may be stressful and we may be conflicted, but we’re lucky enough to be torn between two places that bring us happiness in so many different ways. So here’s to the next three weeks. Here’s to passing classes and making memories. Here’s to the seniors we don’t want to say goodbye to. Here’s to the summer that is fast approaching. Here’s to a great year gone by. Here’s to the home stretch.

Here's to:

(In three weeks.)