The final {college} countdown.

senior year has begun..

>major that I love.. check

>5 best friends for housemates.. check

>living in a really cute house (candy shoppe).. check

>5 new wardrobes (thanks ladies).. check

>byu football. check (beating Oklahoma.. check)

>going on a double date and finding out that the other girl is just a freshman. as in she just graduated from high school less than 4 months ago. As in she doesn't have a major picked, waiting for a missionary with a long road ahead, and has that blessed meal card where the money comes and leaves so easy.. check

the candy shoppe and its occupants

(photo courtesy of Kylie NIxon)

This encounter with the young freshman girl got me thinking . It was not too long ago that I was her, unsure of what the next 4 years at college was going to bring me, but excited and ready to take it on. Now years have passed, relationships have come and gone, variety of jobs taken, a major finally chosen, and a study abroad later do I end up here. My senior year of college. While I am looking forward to this 09-10 school year and my senior status, I do have to say that it does feel a bit different this time around. No longer is college the end-all. Turns out there's life after college, the real life so I'm told, and it's out there ready for the taking. Am I ready for that? Ready to have a real job, or even, dare I say it, a career? Back as the meal-card-fresh-out-of-high-school freshman, finishing college seemed so far away, almost impossible-- almost. Now graduation is just around the corner and I am sure that day will come sooner than expected or even wanted. It's a weird feeling thinking that I will soon have a college degree under my belt and a resume in hand to give to whoever will take me.

So here I am ready to take this last year in. Ready to treasure each moment here, because before I know it, life will be different again. I could be moved away to some big city where I no longer know it, like I do Provo. And instead of 5 roommates, probably just one. And instead of a cute, roomy house, a tiny hole of an apartment will have to do. And instead of late night study sessions with DP and cocoamotion, it will be late nights at the office.

I'm sure that new phase of life will be a great new adventure, but as for now I'm still enjoying my college life, ready for the last and final year.

here's to the last year.