Last weekend I was playing a game with some friends. At one point, everyone had to go around and use one word beginning with the letter “L” to describe their favorite action or thing.

Their words were: love, laughter, ladies, lust and luck. Then it was my turn and I couldn’t repeat a word that was already said, but I didn’t need to. Without hesitation I confidently shouted, “Lottery!”

For as long as I can remember, I’ve used my birthday wishes to ask to win the lottery. So you’re probably thinking I’m extremely superficial or lazy … maybe. But I don’t think anyone can honestly say they haven’t wished for the same at one point.

Every day after I wake up, I basically repeat the same routine throughout my day. As a college student, there isn’t a lot of leeway to be spontaneous.

Wake up, go to school, eat, back to school, go home, eat, homework, gym, bed, repeat. Then on the weekend I get to mix it up and go to my regular bar of choice or house party. Then of course do it all again.

I’m not necessarily saying it’s boring, I’m just saying it’s basic. It’s what every college student is expected and supposed to be doing right now.

We have responsibilities and are nearing adulthood where we will be forced to support ourselves. Sometimes I wish I had more freedom to choose what I want to do without living with the potential consequences.

But what if all that could change in an instant? Well, it can.

With six lucky numbers, one’s world could be flipped upside down offering an entirely new life of utter freedom. With as little as $2, I could win the lottery.

If I won the lottery today I would want to completely erase my normal weekly routine as soon as possible. First, I would fly home to Orange County and surprise each member of my family with an enormous check.

I would be thankful to be able to give back to them and hopefully set them up for their future and free them from any debt or work obligations.

Then I would return to my college home in Chico. I would stick it out to finish my last semester and graduate to make my parents proud and not waste the degree I’ve worked on for the past four years. I would be careful to not spend any of the money or let anyone know that I had won, yet.

After becoming a Chico State alumna, I would give some money back to the college and town that I owe the best four years of my life to.

After praying to win the lottery before, I have also promised God I would donate a fair portion of my winnings to charity.

Then I would live out my lifelong dream of traveling the world with my family and boyfriend. Next in my perfect, ideal life I would buy a nice house in Orange County on the beach and a vacation home in Arizona on the Colorado River.

I would live with the luxury of not checking price tags while shopping and never thinking twice about adding that extra scoop of guacamole.

As much money as the lottery gives you, I would try to play it safe by putting a significant portion away for my future as well as my future children.

I think that life after winning the lottery would be carefree. It would be the lifestyle change people dream of having. But is it realistic? Probably not.

Putting myself back into a realistic perspective, chances are I will not win the lottery. Chances are I will continue my routine schedule of going to school every day, and then I will have a routine schedule of going to work every day.

So yes, my life will probably be basic, but it won’t be bad. When I really think about it, it won’t really be boring. I’m going to graduate from college, start a career in a field I enjoy and hopefully start a family one day. Like my siblings, parents, friends and so many other people in the world, I’m probably going to work for what I earn and there’s something truly rewarding about that.

Winning the lottery would be a pleasant surprise that I wouldn’t turn down, but with or without the lottery, I still consider myself lucky.

(Fingers crossed I still win though.)

Julie Ramos can be reached at [email protected] or @julie_ramoss on Twitter.