As the semester comes to a close, there’s a bit more to think about than which flip-flops match which sundress. We’re that much closer to leaving Binghamton, a bittersweet thought of an inevitably harsh reality ‘ we’re that much closer to growing up.

For seniors, it’s time to mature and say goodbye (or bid good riddance) to the campus they called home for four years. Every Saturday night at Scoreboard or Tuesday at JT’s will be recollected and relived, but the feelings become more sentimental as the realization that it’s almost over seeps in.

It is during the end of this semester that seniors may decide to ‘live it up,’ so don’t be surprised when you see a bunch of stumbling upperclassmen at the Rat. Just let them get it out of their system and politely move out of the way to avoid any serious injuries.

For juniors, it’s time to savor ‘ as much as is possible ‘ what is technically the last year of youth. It’s only a matter of months before they too become seniors and need to be concerned with the very imminent future.

Career choices become stressful and things like LSATs need to be taken into account. What’s worst is the realization that he or she is not going to be a kid forever ‘ and might have already stopped being one.

Sophomores begin, if they haven’t already, overflowing their schedules with courses relevant to what they want to do in life. Some people make this seem so easy, but we all know it’s not. The choices made during registration delay or advance the completion of credit hours necessary for graduation, and no one wants to be stuck here after their friends are long gone.

Let’s also not forget that the future scares so many of us that the mere thought of choosing a major causes heart palpitations.

The freshmen definitely don’t have it easy either, though on the surface it may seem like they do. Yeah, the first year of college is over and they made it in one piece, but the rush of starting out somewhere new is also over. They won’t be the uncontaminated, exciting bunch of kids that upperclassmen know nothing about.

Instead, they’ll be the ones formulating opinions of the newcomers, reminiscing on the mistakes they made as they watch the new batch make the same ones. That’s not to say the exiting freshmen won’t have the same lapses in judgment next year, but it is looked upon more negatively when the freshman year grace period is over and sophomore year begins.

Or maybe I’ve got it all wrong. Maybe most people can’t wait to graduate. But maybe these kinds of people need to slow it down a little. Everyone should have the chance to feel like a kid once in a while, and it’s only going to get harder once we leave.