If college is supposed to be the best four years of you life, then I don't have much hope for the future.
I feel like I haven't even begun to live, so how can we say that the best years of our young lives have already come and gone? Yeah, college has been a good enough time, but I have the rest of my life to make of it what I want.
Being in school is honestly not a fun time. Four years of stress about homework, money, and sleep deprivation. Oh, and don't forget to keep your grades up, spend time with friends, stay in touch with family, and keep that high school relationship going strong.
I don't mean to sound hypercritical, but these are the harsh realities of college. And no, I'm not being a whiny millennial just complaining about how hard my life is. But college is hard, there's just no way around it.
I can't even begin to explain how excited I am to graduate in the spring and move on with my life. Sure, it means I have to start thinking about applying to jobs and paying back my monumental pile of student loans, but I am optimistic that there are much better days to come.
Of course, college is not all bad, though. I would never discourage someone from going to school and earning a degree.
My first couple years in school were pretty fun. I made friends with so many great girls in my dorm, spending most of our nights in my room watching movies and being goofballs.
The friends I made in school have made it all worth it.
As freshman and sophomores, we were allowed to be just a little more carefree and easygoing when it came to school. Good grades were still important, but the stakes felt lower.
My main concerns were going to class, getting homework done, and working a few hours a week in Dining Services on campus.
Once I moved off campus and had to work many more hours to pay for rent and living expenses, it became more difficult to make time for my social life. I'd go to school, work at night, and have little time or energy left for spending time with friends.
At this point in my college career, the fun and excitement has faded, and I find myself just waiting out the days until I can grab my diploma and run.
As a college senior, I know I am not the only one having these thoughts. Many of my fellow classmates are also feeling burnt out and ready for graduation. One of the only things we feel sad about is having to part ways with the great people we have met along the way.
It's not that I don't value my education and am not grateful for my time spent in school, but it just can't be the best years of my life.
I hope to always live by the words "the best is yet to come."
