Time, it’s such a universal concept. Everyone understands its inner workings and uses it as a guiding map in their daily lives. It’s how we meet with friends, conduct business meetings and determine when our day begins and ends.

We use it as a measuring tool, allotting a specified amount for each task in order to move on to the next. We use it to delegate what part of our day is occupied and free.

Most of our modern day dilemmas stem from time in the never ending argument that there’s frankly not enough of it.

When we’re young it seems as if time is constantly in excess as we yearn for it to pass by as quickly as possible. Then somewhere between careless teenager to career-seeking adult, days, months and years seem to move at an unprecedented rate without much consent. Life’s paradox leaves one longing for youth and loathing the constraints a lack of time begets.

Hustling through the time juggle is a skill college students are forced to learn. Students struggle to balance school, work, friends, a social life, living arrangements, financial responsibilities, dating, homework, housework, and the list continues.

After four years I never quite grasped how to balance the schedule of trying to be a superior full-time student and part-time employee while having a thriving social life and meaningful relationships. I’ve never been good with numbers or math but in the equation of a college student’s life to reach the ultimate outcome, something has to give.

With another birthday nearing (the big 22) I find myself obsessing over time and what control I can possibly gain over it.

Motivational speaker and American entrepreneur Jim Rohn said “time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” With a little help from Rohn’s insight my currency is low on both ends of the scale.

I’ve spent most of my life in a classroom and the last four mainly in isolation from the outside world. One can reason it’s necessary to be dedicated and focused on a goal in order to achieve future aspirations. If that means missing family functions, outings with friends, possible dates or spontaneous nights out, it’s all for the cause.

Living for tomorrow is a charming notion but it makes people forget about moments that make living worthwhile. At 21 my life experience seems null compared to colleagues my age or younger. And time seems to swiftly chug along unwilling to wait for any bewildered passengers.

The worst part is realizing all those tidbits of advice you ignored about how fast life passes by and how you should relish your youth because it will be over before you know it that parents, teachers and counselors incessantly prodded you with growing up, is actually true.

Since the advent of a time machine has yet to be made public (anyone hear anything?) I guess I’ll do the next best thing and remember to take time to appreciate today instead of always worrying about tomorrow.