Ever since I was in Kindergarten, I've been excited for the first day of school each and every year. As each academic year went by, however, I found myself liking school less and less -- especially in high school. Seven-hour school days paired with tons of homework and little sleep started to wear me down. I found that many of the classes that were required didn't really interest me. Sure, all of those core classes are important and I'm better off for having taken them, but there's something about being essentially locked indoors for an entire day that really turns a person off of learning. Being a college student, however, has turned that negative mentality back on its head.

I go to maybe four classes per day (and that's a busy day), plus a club meeting or two. In between these activities, I usually have a wide open block to do whatever I want, though, I admit sometimes I might only have a few minutes to get from one class to another (that's what scheduling classes with only one time available will do). Whether it's soaking up the sun and relaxing outside, taking a nap, grabbing a snack or maybe getting a head start on homework, I've got some time for myself every day -- something I never had time for in high school. When you're used to going to classes for 90 minutes, going to your locker and arriving at your next 90 minute class 10 minutes later, the school days in college will seem like a breeze, even if the subject matter isn't easy. Sometimes, those little breaks are all your brain needs to recoup for the next class.

One of the best things about college, if you live on campus, is that you have captive friends. Everyone lives within a half mile of each other, which makes hanging out super easy. Chances are that most (but certainly not all) of your friends are studying the same or a similar major as you, which means your shared interests allow you to hold great conversations about goings on within your respective field. These discussions can help to deepen your understanding about certain things you're learning in class and even increase your interest in the subject that you are studying. It's very exciting to be friends with people who love what you do as much as you do. It also creates a very positive learning environment, which differs from high school. From freshman to senior year of high school, your classmates probably had very mixed opinions about what you were learning. Being in a class in which the majority does not want to be there makes it difficult to want to learn. It's very tempting to fall in with the crowd and stop trying for a class because the enthusiasm is just not there.

This brings us to the other great thing about college -- the actual classes you take. You're the one who gets to pick most of them (with the approval and help of your trusty advisor, of course). You have more of a say in your education than you ever have before. At this point, you're going to school because you want to, and not because you have to. You may have known what you wanted to pursue as a career ever since you could speak, or you may have only discovered your passion sophomore year of college. The point is, you have chosen (or will choose) your major because you've decided on what you want to study. That doesn't mean because you like the classes you're taking, that they're easy. It means that even when they get very difficult, you will have the motivation to go above and beyond the requirements because you don't worry as much about the grade as you do about learning everything you can about that subject.

This is how college has renewed my love of learning and this is why I'm more excited than ever to return this fall.