What is a Capstone?

I always thought a capstone was that end of the year project that combines what I've learned, with something that shows what my greatest strengths are.  I feel it's a necessary evil.  Not only does it show employers what I can potentially do, it also helps me finally put together a story that's been hanging over my head for the last 5 years.  I'm finally moving forward.  It's kind of like that push out of the nest.  Personally I don't think 2 semester is enough for capstones.  Some of us are spending our first semester planning, and the second semester doing the capstone itself.  But, I think two semesters should be spent doing the capstone, and one semester during our junior year should be set aside for planning.  My junior year I was finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, capstone planning would have made it all the more real.  Now that it's my senior year, it kind feels like I lost some time.  That's nobodies fault but mine though.