Caution: sentimental feelings ahead

(Recommend reading to slightly sappy music, I'm a personal fan of "Welcome Home" by Radical Face)

Not gonna lie, the prospect of graduation is absolutely terrifying (fully deserved of bolded text). During the past four years, St. Olaf has become my rock. The people here are my family, the campus is my home, and skiing is what keeps me sane. Routines that are a result of my years here have slowly emerged: my favorite spots in the library, the roads I've pounded/skied/biked/crawled down day after day, grilled cheese sandwiches in the caf, taking over Cage tables and pretending to do homework while actually wasting time, malt nights after ski team dinners, Sunday morning Tandem bagels, soaking up sun on the quad, and spending far more time than I actually should down at Skoglund (the gym).

When you're a freshman, everyone tells you that college flies by, so you should enjoy every moment.  But nobody actually realizes just how fast it goes until there are only a few weeks left of senior year, and with the rest of our lives stretching ahead of us, the realization that what was supposedly the "best four years" are coming to a close hits fast and hard. We question if we did the "right" things with our time here. Did we make the right friends? Did we get involved in what we wanted to? Did we create the right statement, presence, or legacy for ourselves? Did we get the grades we wanted/achieve the athletic goals we set out for? Did we set ourselves up for the life we want once we leave? Did we go to Frog's enough?

Each and every one of us seniors is finding ourselves caught between nostalgia for what "was" and excitement for what "will be". We're left acknowledging (and sometimes regretting) our wrong choices and reminiscing on the right ones, but we're also bouncing on our toes in anticipation for this next big adventure in our lives. We'll finally be on our own and responsible for ourselves, out in the real world where daily decisions can actually affect us in the long run and food can't be found in a cafeteria with the mere swipe of an ID card.

Graduation is a bit like standing on the start line of a race. We have no idea what could happen in the next few minutes/days/months/years, but we know how much hard work we've put in to get here and what has shaped us to be resilient and ready. We're probably a little nervous, but mostly we're waiting for the gun to go off, the hats to fly, and our adventure to begin.

But basically, while making major life decisions seems absolutely horrifying (just like racing does sometimes), I think it's important to look at it as another exciting challenge. Leaving college and the life you've known for four years is intimidating, but it's also a chance to succeed and prove how much you have learned and grown in the past four years. It's a chance to surprise everyone, but most importantly, it's a chance to surprise yourself.

Challenge accepted.