Two final-round interviews, flights to most of the cities on the Eastern seaboard, three midterm exams, an article to be researched and written, a problem set or two, a couple phone screenings, intramural football playoffs, internship responsibilities, group meetings and a thesis that's yet to have a title.

Yeah, it's been a busy week. It got so bad that I was forced to miss The Simpsons' Halloween Special -- which in terms of probability had ranked less likely than my odds at the Heisman Trophy. But it's not just my schedule that seems to be overflowing, both at Penn State and at other schools; everyone has so much to do.

The instant messenger away messages of friends are progressing from "It's Wednesday. I'm out getting smashed" to "It's Saturday. I'm in the library." Our responsibilities seem to be multiplying exponentially; we've got jobs and we've got obligations, most of them aren't even alcohol related. It seems the further and further you go in college, the more the "real world" becomes a presence in your life.

Is this a just a passing phase of activity, or the impending doom of full-blown adulthood?

We can sit and pray that we stay this young forever, but slowly we're transforming into those people we had hoped we'd never be -- grown-ups. The symptoms are beginning to appear and without much warning, you can contract a dangerous case of physical and mental maturity.

It seems to develop in flashes; you look at a girl and then realize she's about as old as your younger siblings; you get some slight pain after a trip to the gym; or maybe you wake up after a night of partying with a strange headache you never used to get. In no time at all, we'll be watching Diagnosis Murder, going to sleep at 10 o'clock and standing around cocktail parties, saying things like "So, how's business?" Some of you will disagree. Some say, "There's no way I'm an adult! I'm not mature at all! Just this Halloween, I dressed up like a prostate gland and asked people to examine me! Is that the act of a mature individual?!?" Of course, to that, I typically respond: "No, Mom, now just go back inside please."

It's sad but true, that while we are now young and virile, the aging process will have its way with us. There will come a time when we can't go to bars or clubs without looking conspicuously out-of-place. Anyone who's been to a bar can attest to that phenomenon. You look around and everything appears normal, except for one person who's particularly different. Maybe it's the hair, maybe it's the clothes or maybe it's the wedding ring and the pictures of children in his or her wallet.

While these people seem to be trying to hang on to their youth, the process of losing it is inevitable. There aren't many ways to avoid growing old -- ritualistic suicide pacts seems to be the most popular. Getting a job, earning a living, these are things we hoped we'd never have to deal with.

I had always assumed that upon turning 21, I'd make a quick fortune with my sports-betting expertise and slip into a comfortable playboy lifestyle. I now have the very adult problem of getting out of debt.

The fact is we will eventually turn into adults, and whether we like it or not, we should try to see it coming. If we can prepare ourselves for this eventuality, maybe when we've suddenly got kids and a mortgage, we won't look so surprised. This means we should keep the future in our peripheral vision, not focusing on it necessarily, but remind ourselves that it's there. This also means we should be sure to live this part of our lives to the fullest, which can mean taking risks, taking chances and making lots of mistakes. Let's hope we can reach maturity not only with knowledge of the world, but also without regrets of wasted youth.