When people tell you that your college years are the best years of your life and that your time at university flies by, it’s only half true.

My friends and family (mostly friends) told me for a couple of years that I will have the most enjoyable years of my life here, but after experiencing it myself, I can surely say that they definitely will not be. 

And that’s not because Iowa State University wasn’t great to me, or the fact that I made many friendships that I’m sure will last a lifetime. The last four years have been the best years of my life. So far.

There is so much more to life ahead of college and I think it is closed-minded to think that the peak of our lives happens so early. Sure, you could argue that they are, based on the level of typical college student responsibilities and the number of things we can do with people our age, but it really is just a matter of perspective. The freedom we have when we are exposed to it for, possibly, the first time is a big reason why many think it’s so great, but that freedom quickly turns into boredom. 

As a college student, you are kind of limited by the campus you live in, especially if you don’t have a car or a friend who does. You just go through your weeks stuck on campus trying to find fun things to do. Once you get a car, you feel like that freedom is back, but quickly realize that it isn’t so fun when you have to pay around $35 to fill up your tank.

This completely changes when you near the end of your college career. You may have a job lined up that will provide you with a salary, or an internship that paves the way toward a fruitful future. Then, you get your first taste of being a person in the workforce with no homework and no exams to study for before the end of the week. You begin to gain a sense of true freedom, a better freedom, and a better life. 

I believe that the past four years have given me the necessary tools to create a life that continues to get better every single day, and I am so thankful for being a part of the Cyclone family. Working for the Iowa State Daily has been a great experience and has allowed me to become a better writer, thinker and collaborator, and I will cherish the memories that I have made here. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that the four years that I have spent at Iowa State University have been my best years yet, but I look forward to all the things I will be able to do thanks to my education. 

All the best,

Maximillian Lisowski