It’s possible that the summer after my freshman year was my last real summer. I spent the summer of 2013 reporting for the Columbia Missourian, and I’ll be spending this summer interning with the Missouri Review and entertaining incoming freshman at Summer Welcome (if it’s entertaining to watch skits about alcohol safety, sexual health, and stress).

As I was writing this post, I received an email informing me that I’ve been accepted as a contributing writer for Vox this summer, so I guess I’ll be doing that too. I’m also taking two online classes, but they’re both Women’s and Gender Studies, so they’re basically extracurricular. 

It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that I’m a senior now. It’s been a good year. I made the Dean’s List again. I’ve accomplished a lot of my goals. I’ve learned a lot. It’s just all happened so fast. I’m taking my capstone next semester, hopefully the first of two. I’m going to start applying for actual, real-life jobs soon. I’m going to be a college graduate this time next year. 

Everyone told me that college was going to go by quickly, but having just finished four long years of high school, I didn’t believe them. But freshman year seems like last week. I’ve built this life for myself in Columbia, Missouri, and it seems like I’ll be leaving it before I can even blink. I’d better make this last year a great one.