As I write this post toward the end of the spring semester of my junior year, it seems impossible that so much time has flown by so quickly. A little more than a year from now, I’ll be a college graduate… and yet it seems as though just the other day I was a shy, awkward freshman moving into Daum.
I’ve learned a lot in the nearly three years I’ve been here, from academic facts and figures to surprising knowledge about myself. Perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned, however, is that college really does fly by – so enjoy it while it lasts.
Let’s be honest, as college students we tend to spend a lot of time wanting to hurry up and get things over with. We sit in our least favorite classes, waiting anxiously as the seconds, minutes and hours tick slowly by, until the time comes for us to leave. We stress about impending deadlines and big projects, breathing a sigh of relief once they’re finally over. After particularly rough breakups, we find ourselves wishing that time would speed up in the hope that the memories will hurt less once we’ve put some distance between ourselves and them.
In other words, we spend most of our time not being fully present in the moment. Wishing we were somewhere else (or maybe even someone else) or diding our time until we get our degrees and can move on with the rest of our lives.
And to some extent, that’s understandable. I don’t think it does anyone any good to pretend that college isn’t a stressful and occasionally scary time. Don’t bottle up your feelings! It’s OK to talk about your worries and the times you feel frustrated because your future after college seems so far away.
But it’s important to balance that with an appreciation for what is happening right here, right now. College will be over before you know it. Trust me, the first few weeks of freshman year were tortuously slow, to the point where I wanted to drop out because I didn’t think I could do this for four whole years. And look at me now! While I’m definitely excited for the next stage in my life, I also know I’m really going to miss college. Sometimes I wish it would never end.
Although you may not feel that way right now, someday you too will ironically sing along with Asher Roth: “Man, I love college / Do I really have to graduate? / Or can I just stay here for the rest of my life?”
Even if you do return to college someday, that experience won’t be the same as the one you’re having now. It can be tricky at times, but I try to make a conscious effort to appreciate the moment I’m in for what it is – and yes, that includes even the most dull lecture or stressful cramming session. I try to learn something from every experience I have, even if what I learn is what not to do.
After all, soon enough I’ll cross that stage at commencement and collect my diploma. I want to make the most of the time I have left here – both the good and not so good, because either way the time will fly by.
Who’s with me?
[All images are stock photography]