“Kids, I’m going to tell you an incredible story — the story of how I met your mother.”

That was the iconic line that would define the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.” For nine long seasons, fans watched as future Ted Mosby — narrated by Bob Saget — recounted the story in the year 2030 to his son and daughter of how he met their mother.  

That line acted as the anchor for the series, holding it steady and reminding the audience of the show’s main purpose. 

HIMYM can be understood as a backward love story. Its format of flash-forwards and flashbacks is unique in that it allows the narrative to be zippy and non-linear while also lacing in silly yet heartfelt stories.

But the incredible, hilarious, sweet, heartbreaking and beautiful story finally came to an end on Monday night.

HIMYM left an imprint on our generation, coining several catchphrases such as “Legend – wait for it – dary” and teaching lessons, as learned by Ted, to 20-somethings, including nothing good ever happens after 2 a.m. But the most important lesson people can take away from the show is the idea that our lives are defined by the smaller moments and adventures we experience on the journey toward where we hope to end up.

This idea of journey and transformation is something all people — and especially college students — can relate to.

Just as Ted’s quest was for finding his true soul mate, we as college students are working to receive an education to land our dream jobs or just simply graduate. As we venture to whatever goal we may have, we grow, we laugh, we cry, we fail, we succeed, we laugh more and ultimately, we change. 

I am definitely different from the Thaddeus Chatto that entered the University in August of 2010. That guy wanted to be a dentist, still very much enjoyed “Glee” and was rocking the Bieber haircut.

In the pilot episode, Ted Mosby realizes he’s not good at being single. He has several dorky, dad-like qualities that would suit the role of father and devoted husband. He just wants to be married and lead a quiet life.

But the seasons that follow reveal that Ted isn’t quite as ready to be the father that he assumes himself to be. While the point of the story is to reveal the initial meeting of Ted and the mother of his children, I would say there is something more to be taken from the show.

It was the value in the events that took place between the pilot and the series finale. The experiences Ted had with his friends and romantic interests shaped him into husband- and dad-worthy material.

Throughout my time in college, I have found that dentistry is not for me, the rest of “Glee” is just not as good as the first season and that Bieber hairstyle had to go.

College is an important transition for the lives of many students. This is the most appropriate time for people to change and grow. Freshmen are raw and ready to be molded and shaped by the events and people they will encounter in college.

Ted wasn’t alone on his journey to meet his future wife; his friends all shaped and molded his path in ways that he couldn’t control. It wasn’t just Ted who changed; Marshall, Lily, Barney and Robin all matured and changed from who they previously were.

Just like Ted, I’ve also been shaped and formed by my group of friends. We’ve all grown together in our time here at the University, for better or for worse. We’ve shared our successes and failures with each other.  

I like to think of any person’s journey as a road trip. The point is to get from A to B, but sometimes what happens between A and B can be more important than the final destination itself. Fans of HIMYM will value the series over the final episode, and the four years we spend in college will be more valuable to us than the exact moment in time when we receive our diplomas.

Ted narrates at the end of one episode, “even if you know how something’s gonna end, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the ride.”

Even if things in college don’t go as planned, it’s important to remember the smaller moments that make up the bigger stories in college and the journey that got you there. Those will always be the best memories.

Thaddeus is a senior in LAS. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Thaddingham.