University of Alabama

University of Alabama

Monday, September 1, 2014

Four.

They say college is the best four years of your life. As a freshman at the University of Alabama, I'm curious to see if this catchphrase is true. What will make it so special? Is it the parties? Or the new people? Or the job opportunities? Or the education? Or something else? Or maybe they won't be the best four years of my life at all. I don't have even the slightest clue about what the next four years of my life has in store for me. I'm excited to find out, but I'm also terrified. The other thing that "they" say is that the next four years determine the rest of your life. What will my four determine? Before I left for college my small group leaders told my group that half a third of us would drink our ways through college. Will my four determine that I am an alcoholic partier? They also said that over half of us would stop regularly attending church. Will my four determine that my faith isn't as strong as I thought? My mom discovered that my chosen major was one of the least promising majors for success. Will my four determine a faulty career path and false hopes? Statistics (however inaccurate) show that 28% of people met their spouse in college. Will my four determine that I actually major in MRS and fulfill the southern "ring by spring" cliche? What will my four years prove? I have four years. Four years under the microscope. Four years to be just another stereotype or to prove everybody wrong. Four years to meet my parent's expectations or to crash and burn. Four years to set the course for the rest of my life. Four years of pressure. Four years of failures and triumphs. Four years of laughter and tears. Four years of heart break and heart aches. Four years of change. I have four years. Will they end up being the best four years of my life, or will they merely be the beginning?