Phew. As the first week of school officially comes to a close, I wonder how many people are already counting down the days until the next break?

It’s been a long, hard week for a lot of us just getting back into the swing of things. The summer almost seems like a far-off memory.

However, we have to keep pushing. After all, how many years in our lifetimes will we be in a situation like college? Four years? Five?

Though the time may be more or less, in the scheme of an entire lifetime, this isn’t much.

College is a place of opportunities. Why not push yourself to do the best you can while you can do it?

My parents always told me, “College makes up the best years of your life.” As a senior in college, I believe this is true.

I look out and see a job (hopefully) on the horizon. A life with a schedule I don’t make myself and friends I can’t see every day.

I think anyone lucky enough to attend college should take full advantage of their opportunity.

Meet all the people you can, and participate in everything you are able to. These chances don’t come around every day.

Students are very lucky, and I think several of us take that for granted.

You won’t be able to get discounts again until you’re over 50. You won’t be able to get into a free football game, or eat dollar meals at the campus’ religious affiliations.

There are too many advantages to being a student for you to NOT take advantage of them while you can.

All you really have to do for all of these great benefits is to apply yourself. To learn while you are here.

Wow, it seems teachers just ask for the world sometimes don’t they?

But really, these are the days that make up our lives. What we see, hear and learn here will stay with us for the rest of our lives, and I believe ultimately make who we will be in the future.

Why not push yourself and do the best you can for this short period of time? No time is wasted if you use it to its fullest potential.