So, this is my first publicized article, uh, ever, and so I wasn't entirely sure what to write about; but I want all of my articles to come from a, mostly, personal place and all I can think of right now is how different my life is going to be in the next year, so that's the best thing I can think of to write about right now. During my time in school, I learned a few things, but I don't want to write them out as a listicle since I don't think I can figure out specific points to write out, but I do know one that is the most important lesson of the last four years. In one week I will be starting my fifth, and final, year of school, and I couldn't be more excited and simultaneously terrified for what my future holds. Also, nearly one week ago, one of my best friends moved to Kansas for grad school, which reminds me that her future is here now, and that makes a person reflect on their college career a whole lot. I hate to sound like every old person you've ever met that's been to college when they give you advice, but once you've been through the experience of college, you'll see that they were right from day one. So, I'm here to give some advice that I've learned and will hopefully help any upcoming college freshman, or college senior, college parent, or maybe even college graduate feel a little better about this whole crazy life thing.

If you're moving into the residence halls (DORM is a DIRTY WORD) for the first time, accept that you are going to feel nearly every emotion on the spectrum that day, but also accept that your parents are going to be feeling the same way. Trust me, I say this as a former RA that has had to console a few parents on move-in weekend. These emotions are okay, they are valid, they are real, and they are totally acceptable. After the rush of getting everything moved into your room, signing the paperwork that comes with ResLife, meeting your roommate the first time, and making your new home homier, take a few minutes and really revel in the moment that you are in. There's nothing quite like it in life. Remember this moment. This moment when the air is filled with excitement, potential, and promise. This feeling is the same you will feel when you are almost completed with college and faced with making the decision of how to start your life as a "real adult" (whatever that means). It's important to make sure you feel full these moments, and all moments you experience during your time in school, and I mean that whole-heartedly. When you are stressing out about midterm exams in your 100 level class, be stressed. It is okay. Don't keep trying to tell yourself that you don't deserve to be stressed, it's a feeble attempt to solve a problem that doesn't necessarily have a solution. Whenever you are out on a trip, whether for an organization, a class or for spring break, live fully in the moment. Take an excessive amount of pictures. EXCESSIVE. There's going to be a night towards the end of senior when you and your best friends are sitting around drunk on wine reminiscing on all the things you've done in the last four years, and you're going to want those pictures in order to relive some of those moments. Every good, every bad, every bored, every exciting, feel it. Feel it wholly. You've got the rest of your life to establish yourself and settle down, don't do it in college.

I guess what I want you to take away from this is that every emotion you feel is valid and okay. There really is no other time in your life like your time in college, and it would be a damn shame to meet up with your college friends twenty years later and not be able to relish in the days of when you first knew each other and everything was an adventure. College is a new world where you will be challenged every day, exposed to new perspectives and ideas, make you question why you believe the things that you do, and it will be stressful and seem terrible at times, but I can leave you with one final promise. You will come out the other side a person ready to take on the world, full of knowledge, connections, experiences, and ideas ready to take on the world in whatever capacity you were meant to.