I am currently a junior and cannot believe how fast my college years are flying by. I feel like each semester goes by faster and faster. As we get older, we become busier, but many people can agree with me that this semester just came and went.

I remember freshman year as if it was yesterday. I vividly remember what the day was like when I moved into my residence hall. I remember what I was wearing and how eager I was to meet my roommate. I couldn’t believe I was in college. I could smell freedom as soon as I hit the campus. I was now on my own, two hours away from home and with no rules, no curfew.

And now, I’m freaking out. Just to think that I’m only three semesters away from graduating is insane. It keeps getting closer to that time when I’ll venture off into the ‘real world.’

What exactly is the real world? Is it a world of happiness or a world of chaos? I mean, professors are always lecturing us about it. “Well, in the real world you will need to do this and this.” Or, “In the real world, you will need to know to do this at this time.” They never really explain what they mean by the real world.

Well, I’ll tell you what the real world is. It is a world of choices. Every day, I feel like I’m making a choice based on what I’ll do after I graduate. It’s like the freedom I have been enjoying for the past three years of college has been slowly diminishing.

I am constantly making choices centered around my future. For instance, the other day I thought about re-piercing my nose just for the heck of it, but I figured it would just be a waste of money because I plan on getting an internship this summer and the likelihood of any company approving of such a piercing is slim to none. The second day of freshman year, I went out and got my nose pierced because I always wanted to have one, but my parents weren’t too keen on it. But I figured since I’m not living at home, what the heck. I’m going to be a rebel.

My advice for freshmen is to enjoy your first two years of college. Don’t go completely crazy and out of control, but appreciate that broad range of freedom you are blessed with because before you know it, you are going to be in the same boat as I’m in – planning for the future.

Everyone has his or her own path after college. I haven’t quite figured out what mine will be, but I know that whatever it is, I will look back on my time at Kent State and remember each person who has influenced me in some way and smile. I wish all graduates the best of luck with finding your path in the real world.

Alyssa Conner is a junior public relations major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].