after attending my younger sister's high school graduation, it really hit me how fast this school year has gone. she's a high school graduate, and i'm now a senior at the u of i - when did this happen?i would be lying if i said this past year was easy. junior year, especially second semester, was by far the most difficult. between work, training, and studies, it was hard to juggle everything, and i admit that i took on too much. it not only caused me a great deal of stress, but i also feel like a i missed out on a lot. true, i was able to manage everything, with the help of post-it notes galore and a detailed planner. but i regret not being able to enjoy life more this past year. managing really isn't equivalent to living. it's ironic, isn't it? everything about this year revolved around me - i was enrolled in classes towards MY future, i worked to pay MY bills, and i trained to prepare for MY summer. yet, i feel like i lost MYself in the process.there's something about kids my age that we tend to feel this need to fill up our free time with more activities. we have this mentality that in order to make the most of our lives, we need to take on as much as possible. we fill our schedules to the brime with things to improve our resumes, things to pass the days. time flies, but only because we make it.in biking across the country this summer to fight against cancer, i am working towards something so much bigger than just me. and i truly believe that you learn the most about who you are when you are faced with challenges such as this ride. there's a certain beauty to this ride: that we will not only make a difference in other peoples' lives, but in the process we will uncover a part of us that got lost in our hectic lifestyles, or a part that we never knew was there. i don't know exactly what to expect. i mean, no matter how much you train, no matter how much advice we are given from i4k alum, no one can truly know what this summer will bring. who knows how many flats i will get. who knows how many things i will forget to pack. but i do know that come august, i will be more than ready to take on my senior year. i will have a newfound appreciation for life, nature, friends, and tailwinds.it's crazy to think that after months and months of preparation, this adventure is finally here. as i pack my bag for the train station tomorrow, i am making a promise to myself to make the most of this ride. each day will bring new struggles and it'll be tough, but i'm ready."time is what we want most, but what we use worst."- william penn