So I just realized that I am a junior in college. Now when I say that I just realized this I don’t mean that I’ve been walking around campus thinking I am a freshman trying to figure out which of the 38 FLO’s (freshman organizations) I should join.

I say just realized in the sense that it just dawned on me that I am closer to graduating college than I am to the day I started college. Or at least tried to start college only to figure out that I had been dropped by the community college I was trying to take classes from. A college where the admissions requirement was essentially checking the box that said “I am not a robot.”

It feels like yesterday I was low key debating whether I should reapply for classes or just quit the college life and find a real job.  But now I find myself fully integrated in the college world (despite my lack of attending a party every weekend like Hollywood mislead me to believe. #Engineer Problems) and looking into post graduation big boy Jobs with a capital J. The past two years that were full of ups and downs, went by faster than a charged particle in a cyclotron. (for those of you asking what a cyclotron is, just know it went by extremely fast.)

This realization has made me truly understand that my time in college is limited. That I will soon not be able to spend the majority of my time acquiring knowledge and connecting with a diverse group of people. I will soon be out in the real world working a 9 -5 job with consistency instead of the sporadic 6am to 10pm days I have now.

And as much work as it is to be a connected engineering major that works 30 hours a week, I know that I will miss these simpler times where I only have to worry about myself, and can be sporadic as I eat two Little Caesars pizzas and a gallon of Blue Bell at three in the morning.

My time with this lifestyle is limited and I aim to cherish as many of these long days full of obligations and activities, because soon my today will merely become another yesterday.

Aside from cherishing the uniqueness of the situation I find currently find myself in, I have come to another realization about my limited time at Texas A&M. A more important realization. College Station is full of 50,000+ students that come from all walks of life and will soon be returned to the world with a new ring, slip of paper, and a plethora of lessons learned.

I have the amazing opportunity to teach my friends, classmates, and strangers on campus, and to leave a positive influence in their life. An influence as simple as contagious happiness through a friendly smile in the MSC, or an impact far greater than the scope of my control. Sharing with them the lessons and knowledge I have about being the best me I can be, relationally, educationally, spiritually, or whatever it may be. I have the limited opportunity to grow those around me, to make a difference in their life, so that they too can go out into the world a better person and make a difference wherever their life takes them.

So I am going to do just that. Utilize the two years I have left in College Station to be the best student I can be, and more importantly, leave the largest positive influence I possibly can.

As always, make good choices, share if you like what I said, comment if you have something to add, give that follow button a hit, and I will see you on Tuesday.