So I have realized something this semester.
College won't last forever.
As a freshman and a sophomore, thoughts of graduation were like thoughts of Christmas in July: it's coming, but I had plenty of time.
But now I'm an upperclassman and I've realized that I am "over the hill" in undergraduate education terms. From here on out, it's a downhill slide through major classes, internships, and recruiting to me getting a diploma and leaving BYU.
Then, there's the fact that life as I knew has changed dramatically in the past month. Girls can now serve a LDS mission at 19. My best friend decided to cut her hair short and leave on a mission (two things she swore she would never do), while I discovered that, at least for now, a mission is not for me. My dating life went from non-existant to five dates in one week. I'm 90% sure I'm moving to Hong Kong next semester. And my dad got called to the bishopric.
Pretty much the world is ending.
Or at least, life is going to be remarkably different, especially after this semester.
And that changed my perspective on life.
I realized the importance of moments-- the crazy, funny, sad, wonderful, and weird moments that make up this crazy adventure known as life, or for right now, "college life".
Moments like tonight.
It's 30 degrees outside and I am sitting at a table outside the Brimhall building, frantically trying to finish my brief for the Loreal Brandstorm competition. All I'm wearing is my warm-ups and some tennis shoes. Pain sears through my fingers each time I type a character. My joints are frigid. My teammates are pacing around me, dictating the last couple sentences I need to type. Oh and did I mention that it's almost midnight? Then all of a sudden, a deer pops out from the bushes. My team and I look at it in surprise. Then there's another one. And another one. There's a whole herd of deer about 20 yards away from us. How cool is that?! We take a break from our intense collaboration to enjoy the sight of the little deer herd in front of us.
That's the kind of moment that makes college so amazing. Those are the kind of moments I've been having for the past few weeks. Because it's these moments that I will remember. Not the hours spent in the library studying. Not the nights watching Netflix in my room (although sometimes, the night calls for being a couch potato). I will remember goofy nights at In-n-Out, awkward encounters with creepers, singing parties with the bestie.
For too long, I let memory-making moments pass me because I was too tired, or too insecure, or too busy. I let two years of college past by with a fine, but not spectacular college experience. No more. I have 3 1/2 semesters left and I plan to take advantage of those remaining moments. Yes, school has taken a back seat these past two weeks and I need to return, but I understand now that college isn't just about professors, projects, grades, and tests. No, college is about discovering who you are, making friends, and experiencing the most of life before it gets smothered with bills and 40+ hour weeks and marriage and children and all that.
They say that college is the best time of your life.
And now, I think I understand why.
