When I tell my peers that I am going to finish college a semester early, they look at me in disbelief. I had one person even ask me, "Why would you ever want to leave college early?"

First of all, I absolutely love college, and I have loved every moment of it. Even though there have been some less than great moments, the experience is one I would not trade for the world. I have been surrounded by a great community of students and been presented with a number of remarkable opportunities that I might have missed out on had I chosen a different path in life. Despite that, I know that the world is bigger than my college campus (even if it IS ASU), and I just want to continue experiencing life outside of the college bubble. This does not mean I am going to disregard all of the amazing memories I have from college; I just am simply ready for change.

Second, the process of learning is important to me. Going away to school has given me the incredible chance to learn more about the world in which I live, and the knowledge gained will prove to be advantageous in many, if not all, aspects of my life. I have always enjoyed school; call me a nerd, call me what you want, but I hold education in high regard. Some people do not really care about receiving their degree and they simply come to college to party and do typical "college" things. I think this is a shame, because one should not take his or her education for granted, especially since there are places in the world where people still do not have easy access to higher education. Because I have this desire for learning, I am always going to continue learning, and I cannot wait to learn more about the things I love and my passion out in the "real world".

Third, I enjoy being ambitious. Whenever I am presented with a challenge, I will do my hardest to complete it. When I discovered that I could graduate from school early, I knew that if I put my mind to it, I could do it. As someone who struggles with their self-confidence and self-worth, achieving this goal will mean more to me than anyone could truly understand. I will feel special, as I will have finished school at the time I wanted. I will be proud of myself, something that is usually rare for me.

There is nothing wrong with my decision. You may think that I am crazy for giving up college earlier than most people, but I do not regret the decisions I have made about my education, and I would not change them for the world. If you do not understand my need and want to do this, that is fine--all I ask is that you respect me and my choices, and I will respect yours.

I cannot wait to embark on my great adventure, and I will continue to do it as long as I have my great family and friends by my side.