We all wait for this moment once second semester rolls around: we want the weather to turn warm and summer to come quicker. But once it does, we’re never as excited as we thought we’d be. The end of the school year is always a bittersweet moment; we’re ready for the schoolwork to be over, but we’re not excited about leaving our friends that we’ve spent everyday with all year long. It’s strange in the summer not waking up to a roommate snoozing next to you, not eating every meal with friends in the dining hall, and not staying up until midnight slaving over your homework with fellow procrastinato
Sure, summer is a much-needed break from the craziness that is college, but this bittersweet feeling should be a reminder for the rest of your time in college, and life in general. It all goes by extremely quickly, so take advantage of everything that is thrown at you. I know we’ve all heard it a thousand times, but it really is true. College will offer you so many incredible experiences—studying abroad, service break trips, and intramural sports—that you won’t have the chance to participate in once you graduate. As much as you’re dreading going to your Statistics class twice a week or writing your huge English paper, always remember that college isn’t forever, so take advantage of the short four years that you have.
As someone who used to have a countdown for everything, I’ve tried to steer away from counting down the days left until summer vacation. Instead, I try to live my life day by day, and not worry about what the future holds (of course, that’s much easier said than done.) It really is important to cherish the moments that you have in college, even if it’s a fire alarm at two in the morning or an early wake-up call for an exam you barely studied for. Take those not-so-great moments in stride and relish in the great connections you’ve made with a few professors or the late night heart-to-hearts you have with your roommate before bed.
Before you know it, your four years in college will be finished and you’ll be entering into the real world where people aren’t sure what the “Baby Shark” song is that you sang at Orientation or why you desperately wish you could go back to having “Sunday Sundaes” every week. Savor your time in college because soon you’ll be like me and be halfway done, or even worse, you’ll be a senior and only have a week left! It truly does fly by and it’s important to not spend your days here counting down to the next break, because, most likely, you’ll look back and regret the opportunities you didn’t take advantage of.