By Joe Bridgeman

My final class as a junior at Baylor has come to a close. Then, after a week of finals, those class grades too will be sealed, and my junior year will finally be complete. It’s a bittersweet moment. Sweet, because I have accomplished much this year and learned a whole lot because of the hard work I put into my classes. Bitter, because school is so much fun, and I’ve got only one year left.

I am grateful, though, for the time I have had so far. One of the things I hated hearing before coming to college was “It’s going to be the best four years of your life! It’s going to fly by so fast.” I was excited about the “It’s going to be the best four years of your life” part but a little disappointed to hear the “It’s going to fly by so fast” part.  Unfortunately, it’s true. I feel like I’ve sufficiently taken hold of and appreciated the time I’ve had at Baylor so far, and I’m even more intent to do so now that I only have one year left.

I mean, how cool is it to get to spend four years of your life just learning as your full-time job? Trust me – you may not jump for joy right now over that idea, but we’ll both look back fondly at college from the workforce. I get to take top classes on whatever subjects I want and switch them out every three months for new ones. In some jobs, your best hope at an educational experience is either being sent to a conference or self-education.

What is the take away here? Don’t let yourself grumble about college.  Everyone has difficult tests, too much homework and too little sleep – which is good, because everyone understands the struggle. But, be sure to not get stuck focusing on the struggles or you’ll miss the view as the years fly by. And trust me, the view is worth it.

Here’s to the next one.