As I finished the process of paying the $250 transaction that was the enrollment fee at UNL, it felt as if I had just clicked my childhood away. Sure, I knew college was just around the bend and would be coming eventually, but that enrollment fee really sealed the deal, and made it feel even more real than ever.

Going to college, or, I suppose I should say, getting ready to go to college, brings a mixed bag of emotions. While I’m excited to further my education and grow into an adult on my own, there’s the worry that my little idiosyncrasies won’t be able to continue in college (i.e. microwaving my ice cream, blowdrying my hair that actually doesn’t need to be blow-dried, etc.).

Senior year, in general, is a whole bag of mixed emotions. While the level of freedom and respect you have from your teachers and classmates is at its pique (for the most part), at some points during the year you realize that in one year you won’t be back at Westside again, but instead, on your own in your less than luxurious little dorm room.

Granted, with anything that is yet to be experienced, we, or maybe I should say “I”, tend to overdramatize it, but then once it comes about and I get into the eventual swing of things, I question myself as to why I ever worried about it before. Ultimately, if there is anything to take away after reading this piece (which I sure hope there is), it would be that the college applications, recommendations, e-mails, counselor meetings, visits, etc., and all the graduation requirements that come along with senior year, honestly aren’t that bad.

Make sure you are spending your weekends with your close friends as well, because you only have a limited number of them left to savor and enjoy. And even though we are at the age in our life where adulthood is beginning to creep closer and closer, we must realize that we need to embrace it with arms wide open, but not like that horrible Creed song.

As an addendum, here are some tips I’ve been told to give to the grades below.  But by all means, don’t feel like you need to follow them.

Freshmen: Get into the habit of getting your schoolwork done on time.  Other than that, take it easy and relax during your relatively easy year.

Sophomores: While sophomore year is a tad bit harder than freshman year (especially if you’re taking physics), your still relatively on the easy side of things.  It wouldn’t be a bad idea to start looking into colleges at the end of the year.

Juniors: Junior year kicked my butt.  Make sure to get all your stuff done, get good grades, and looking even more in-depth into what colleges you want to go to.