As the countdown to graduation begins, the realization that your life as a college kid is slowly puttering out abruptly sets in. If you’re in my position, you may have noticed an internal emphasis on the word ‘kid’ in that past sentence. You may have noticed an even heavier emphasis on the implications with the word ‘kid’—that is, it’s time to grow up!

It’s the first time in our lives we have nothing paved on the road ahead of us. From here on out, it’s just us and our own devices. There are so many years to fill. So many different paths we could possibly take. How could you possibly know now, as a 22-year-old, what the correct path to go down is?

If I am being honest, panic is the feeling that is overtaking me at this current moment. It is a feeling I have found hard to avoid, especially as each day goes by when more of my friends accept job offers. More of my friends are shopping for apartments in exciting big cities. More of my friends are eagerly awaiting their first paycheck or signing bonus.

I still have no clue where I will end up in a few months. The not knowing is eating away at me the closer I get to graduation with no set plans. The stress of all my friends getting jobs and making plans has sort of distracted me from the real reason I am so stressed about leaving college. My friends…. with those awesome, amazing plans.  

The friends acquired over the past four years won’t be around the corner anymore. You won’t run into them on your walk to class. You won’t see them out and about on the town. That’s a whole lot of won’ts and not a lot of wills.

Wherever I do end up, it will most likely not be in the company of my best friends.

So, I am making it my mission until graduation. STOP THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE. Do not take what you have now for granted by only focusing on the thing causing you stress. Be present in the now, because friends are in the now. If you are in the same position as me, I encourage you to do the same.

That’s just my two cents.