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Baylor | Life > Experiences

There Is No Prize for Growing Up the Fastest

Daniella Rivera Student Contributor, Baylor University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Baylor chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

So, when I decided to graduate a semester early, I thought I was ready to be an “adult” in the sense that finishing college‚ getting a job‚ making money‚ and finally leading my own real life was an achievement in and of itself․ It was an accomplishment at the time․ I was getting ahead․

Now, as my last semester has started and graduation gets closer‚ I have started to realize that life is not something you have to rush into․

For so long‚ I was focused on what came next‚ on when I was graduating․ Where am I going to work? What am I going to do with my degree? Where am I going to live? I was so excited about having more freedom that I never really thought about what I was leaving behind to get there faster․

There’s a weird pressure in your twenties to have everything figured out․ You look around‚ and you see people who seem to be following the plan they laid out freshman year․ They know what job they want‚ where they’re moving‚ what graduate program they’re going to‚ and somehow what the next five years of their lives are supposed to look like․

I still have the plan I made for myself․ What changed is that I am no longer sure it is the life I want․

And maybe that is okay․

College has changed me․ The experiences I’ve had‚ the people I’ve met‚ and the things I’ve learned about myself have changed what I value․ Things I took for granted before have now become some of the most important things in my life․ Like being close to family‚ that means more․ I know that I am privileged to be able to call them on the phone‚ visit them in person‚ and be there for them․

It has also happened with friends․

I made some of my closest friends in college‚ and I know that those friendships aren’t going to disappear when I graduate․ But there’s something scary about knowing that this chapter is never going to be exactly like this again․ There isn’t always going to be another random night together‚ another class to complain about‚ another time when everyone is in the same place․

Eventually everyone begins building their own lives․

And through this realization‚ I’ve learned that growing up is not about getting more freedom․ Sometimes getting one freedom means sacrificing another one․

I thought life didn’t really start until you were an adult․ I guess that wherever you are‚ that’s where your life is actually starting․

It is happening during the random conversations with my friends․ It is happening when I go home and spend time with my family․ It is in the stressful weeks and the fun weekends and the mistakes and the internships and the classes I cannot wait to be done with‚ and the times I really‚ really have no idea what I am doing․

There is nothing wrong with being ambitious․ There is nothing wrong with wanting a career‚ independence‚ success‚ or a life of your own․ But I have learned that always trying to reach the next stage of life can make you forget to appreciate the one you are currently living․

Maybe graduating early was not a mistake․ Maybe I just had to learn something․

I do not need to have my entire life figured out the second I graduate․ I do not have to become a completely different person just because I’ll have received a diploma․ I am allowed to change my plans․ I am allowed to miss college․ I can go ahead and look forward to the future‚ while being scared to leave the present․

But the most important lesson of all is that there’s no prize for growing up the fastest․

I only get to be this age once․ I only get this version of my friendships once․ These moments with my family will only come around once․ There’s always another job to apply for‚ another promotion‚ another version of myself that I’ll be in a few years‚ but these moments won’t be the same․

The present will not wait for me in the same way․

So while I still do not completely know what comes after graduation‚ I am trying to stop treating that uncertainty like something I need to fix immediately․ I am trying to enjoy where I am before worrying so much about where I am going․

At the end of the day‚ I believe God has a plan for me and for the people around me․ I may not know exactly what that plan looks like yet‚ and maybe I am not supposed to․

For now‚ I just want to be here․

Daniella Rivera

Baylor '27

Daniella Rivera is a Chapter Writer for Her Campus at Baylor, where she collaborates with the Editorial Committee to produce articles that amplify women’s voices on topics like wellness, lifestyle, and culture. Passionate about justice, advocacy, and storytelling, Daniella believes in the power of writing to challenge societal norms, uplift marginalized voices, and inspire meaningful change. Through Her Campus, she hopes to create a platform where every woman feels heard, valued, and empowered.

Beyond Her Campus, Daniella has dedicated herself to advocacy and education in various ways. She has experience organizing protests, mentoring young women, and teaching the U.S. Constitution, ensuring that knowledge and empowerment reach those who need it most. She has also worked in data entry and community service, refining her skills in research, organization, and communication, all of which fuel her passion for impactful writing.

In her free time, Daniella loves expressing herself through fashion and painting, challenging her mind with board games among friends, and staying active at the gym. She also enjoys watching documentaries that expand her knowledge of the world. Passionate about storytelling, research, and justice, she is dedicated to using her voice to uncover truths, amplify unheard voices, and inspire change. Whether through writing, activism, or mentorship, she is committed to breaking barriers and creating spaces where women can thrive and be unapologetically themselves.