Oh, the college years. The moment when young ladies and gentlemen gear up to take on the world by themselves for the first time. As a teenager, thoughts swirl around your head of what awaits you at the educational complex we call college. After four years in a college town, the definition begins to change.

In terms of my experience, college has completely changed over the course of my career. It’s a roller coaster ride to say the least. It’s the moment at which you find the difference between excitement and pure insanity.

Through the madness and chaos, this is the time in your life when you truly find out who you are and what your purpose is.

There are so many things you will learn in college. From the moment one walks through the doors of his first class, till he walks across the stage, shakes the chancellor’s hand and receives his diploma, he evolves. Not only as a student, but as a human being.

After four years of banging my head against the wall of my often-changing apartment complex, I think the concept of college has come to rest firmly within my grasp.

One of the most important aspects of college is juggling school and social life. For the first time in a young person’s life, there are no adults telling one what to think or do.

This is a concept a lot of students struggle with because it is difficult to focus on school with all the outside distractions we deal with on a day-to-day basis. I have learned school must always come first. Trust me, if you do not put school first, you will either drop out or be on the fast track to a five- or six-year plan. By the time you reach year four, the idea of taking a victory lap is not pleasant.

Keep working hard and keep persevering. Those long nights at the library when your eyes feel like they are bleeding from staring at a computer screen for hours upon hours and the weeks-on-end of eating nothing but ramen noodles will pay off in the end.

College is the time when you make ever-lasting friendships. These friendships are something you can cherish forever because they have seen you change as a person over the course of college. No matter where you or your friends end up in life, the stories of times in college will never disintegrate.

The biggest thing all college students need to consider at the end of their careers is whether or not they did their best to utilize everything college has to offer. After my time is over, I want to be able to say I threw everything on the table in an effort to really enjoy my time here.

There should be no hesitation when someone asks, “Did you enjoy your time in college?” For me, I can easily say yes. It’s the memories of college I will always cherish. From the people I have met, to the knowledge gained, college will always hold a special place in my heart.

College is a four-year learning experience, academically and personally. Those who take full advantage of every opportunity given are the ones who will graduate a completely different person. They have lived their life to the fullest thus far and are ready to take the world on at full speed.

Now, I have finished my rambling of the thoughts floating around in my head; I hope some insight can be taken away from this and all of you enjoy your time as a college student. Remember, college is an opportunity for you to make meaningful memories.

Do not miss out on it!