This week thousands of college students invaded the small town of Charleston. It’s time once again to hit the books and stuff our brains with knowledge. The carefree days of summer have come to an end.

Summer, to me, tends to be three months where my responsibilities are minimal and my only goals are to spend as much time with family and friends as possible and, of course, sleeping in until noon.

This summer was just about the same, but there was one major difference. I got a slap in the face from good ol’ reality. Two teens in my small southern hometown tragically lost their lives. One lost her battle with cancer and the other was killed in a one-car accident.

Eighteen-year-old, Erin Strine, was a few years younger than I was, but everyone knew her. Even before she was diagnosed with cancer, she was popular in our small town. She was beautiful, vivacious and loved by everyone around her. Then, two years ago doctors found a brain tumor. Over the two years that she fought for her life she became a celebrity. The whole town prayed for her consistently and for a brief time it paid off. She went into remission for a matter of months and even began to apply to colleges. It appeared like she had beaten the cancer. However, her remission didn’t last long, and she progressively got sicker until her death in June.

I interned this summer for a small daily newspaper, and I was privileged enough to get to see Erin live her one small dream. At 18-years-old she was faced with the impossible – death. She knew she had to only hope for things in the near future, things that she knew were in her grasp. She wanted to graduate high school, a feat that seems so trivial to most of us. No one knew whether she would live long enough to get her diploma. She did, and I was there to see it.

I covered her high school graduation, and that night will remain one of the most memorable moments in my life. It was a moment of triumph for her and in recognition the audience celebrated with her by giving her a five minute standing ovation. A few weeks later she died quietly in her home.

In July my friends and I were struck with a tragedy that hit a little closer to home. One of my best friend’s little brothers was killed in a car accident. Jason Ile was 14-years-old and the youngest of three boys. He, like Erin, was full of life and loved by everyone. He was just beginning to grow into an incredible young man and quite an athlete. He had amazing potential.

The events surrounding his death are still being investigated back home. He was in the car with three 17-year-old boys who were giving him a ride home from bailing hay for a local farmer. While driving down a gravel road, the car hit a set of railroad tracks, and the driver lost control of the vehicle sending them into a guard rail. Jason was the only one injured. Over 3,000 people attended the funeral.

These two tragedies have made me look at my own life very differently. I hope what I said will make you look at yours differently also. None of us know exactly how much time we have here on earth so it is extremely important to live each day to the fullest. Now I know that we hear that all the time, but now I think I’m beginning to understand what it means.

This summer I was not loaded down with responsibility, and I sought out to enjoy my summer. I did the things that made me happy like spending time with my boyfriend, friends and family. I took care of myself and worked out on a daily basis. I basked in the sun and went out at night with friends. I saw movies and shopped til I dropped.

Now that I’m back at Eastern, I’ve tried not to let go of the things that make me happy. I realize that most of my time now will be devoted to my school work, but I intend to still try to do some things for myself. So here is my challenge for you. Think about the things that will make you happy and go do them. Don’t always think about the future. Just think about today. Live everyday like it’s a carefree summer day.