I turned in my graduation ticket request form yesterday and all of a sudden it hit me… it's almost over. Somehow four years have come and gone when it feels like it was only last week we were moving in as bright-eyed freshmen. Do you remember that weekend?

It must have been 800 degrees outside, but we were still all full of smiles as we commenced another chapter in our lives. We took part in all the frosh-o activities, the graffiti dance, tie dance … ahh the memories.

But seriously, where did all the time go? I know they say that time flies when you are having fun, but did it really have to fly this fast? I admit there were times when I wanted nothing more than to leave Notre Dame — my personal Hell. On multiple occasions the Golden Dome wasn't so golden anymore and looked more like iron.

But during the fall semester I was a peer advisor for the First Year of Studies and it was a breath of fresh air. I had the opportunity to speak with freshmen that were so excited about being at Notre Dame you couldn't help but smile and feel excited right along with them.

I needed that, the Dome wasn't iron anymore, it was Golden again. Of course I have to give my Observer plug. I'm one of the few people who don't work at God-awful hours of the night. Daytime hours are definitely a plus to working in the Advertising Department. I started out as an account executive and somehow worked my way up to being the manager. Suddenly, I'm back to being an account executive again because all the new guys have taken over, meaning the seniors are knocked out of a job.

While it's nice not having to deal with irate customers or getting phone calls at 3 a.m. from Mike, Noreen or Kerry asking where an ad is, I miss not being manager anymore and all the "glory" that went along with it. Sure I have more free time, but that also means I don't go into the office nearly as much as I used to, I don't talk to Shirley each day (the greatest office manager ever), and ultimately I don't see the great people that work there nearly as much as I'd like. Turnover at the Observer is yet another wake-up call that my time at Notre Dame is almost over.

I've had my ups and downs as everyone does, but when I look back it has been an amazing experience. We have all met some wonderful people, and probably some that weren't so wonderful. We've created memories that will never leave us. Senior week is seven weeks away. While that seems like a long way off, it will be here before we know it.

It's the last week we will have where it doesn't matter if we sleep all day and stay out all night. It's also the last time I will probably see a lot of people for a very long time or maybe for the last time. I will begin my graduate degree next year either in D.C., California, or Texas (I haven't quite decided yet), but no matter what I will never forget my time at Notre Dame. After wanting to graduate and get out of here, I don't know if I'm ready to leave this place after all.

• Looking back ...