Today, as of 9:15am, I am completely done with all schoolwork.
Forever.
I just had this moment in the women's restroom after my last final, where I looked in the mirror and went, "I did it. I actually went to college and finished. I'm getting my degree."
It still seems surreal. In some ways, I've learned so much. But in other ways, I'm sitting here like,
There's still so much to learn out there in the world of responsible adulthood! I'll have to...like...use dry cleaners and buy my own furniture and....*gasp* pay electricity bills!
But man it feels good to not be a student anymore. It's like I'm lifting off to a higher level of living. If this were "The Game of LIFE", I'd be at that little STOP square, waiting to leave that initial phase of the game and really get going--winning Nobel Peace Prizes and having kids and paying insurance at random times.
(Of course, if this were LIFE, I'd already have a car, and the next STOP sign would be "Marriage", which is always just five spaces away and ALWAYS happens in every game. I don't really know how far away that next phase of LIFE is for me.)
It's really exciting. Aside from our Europe trip in October, I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen in the next few years. I literally just have to take it one day at a time and see what happens.
It's thrilling.
My way of thinking has even changed a bit. I don't have college as an excuse to slack off anymore. I'm going to work full-time, but it's a sedentary desk job that ends at 5:00pm and doesn't include weekends. What excuse will I have this summer to be tired or slack off or eat crap food?
None.
So I'm facing this summer with the determination to be the best, most well-rounded person I've ever been.
I'll cook meals, exercise, take up hobbies, be social, and of course
And hopefully I'll have realistic enough expectations to avoid the "guilt spiral" that Hyperbole and a Half talked about (and where that meme image originally came from).
Things are really looking good for me right now. I can't wait to have my family in town this weekend, and graduate of course! I picked up my cap and gown this morning, and now I'm just bubbling over with anticipation.
Let's do this thing!!
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