Looking Back

(Originally this was to be posted before graduation but with finals and the excitement of graduation, somehow it was forgotten)

Graduation. A word society has placed much meaning on. An event students and parents look forward to.

Parents treasure the kindergarten graduation as it signifies the beginning of a 13-year journey of basic education. Graduation from high school signifies a right of passage from childhood to adulthood.

But what does graduation from college signify? Is it that another four years of education somehow makes one smarter and more well equipped to tackle society’s issues?

Tomorrow brings a new day and a new journey of sorts.  Though not officially a graduate until August due to one elusive class (but that’s a story for another day), walking through commencement presents a mixed bag of emotions:

Excited to be done with school, at least for a while.

Joyful to be earning money instead of spending thousands of dollars every six months.

Nervous to find a job and career to be passionate about.

Unending gratitude for those who have helped and inspired throughout the ups and downs of 17 years of schooling.

The list could go on and on.

Tomorrow will be a day for the books for sure. Family and friends gather to congratulate those who have survived unfair professors and difficult assignments. Tears of happiness, laughter and cheers will fill the venue.

That tiny piece of paper (that you don’t actually receive at graduation) represents thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours worth of studying.

I only hope I don’t trip and fall when I shake the university president’s hand and take that diploma cover.

The first day of my last class as a WSU undergrad.

Woke up early to the garbage truck outside my window and gray clouds filling the sky. This pretty much sums up my attitude to another six weeks of class. 

Not wanting to figure out the bus schedule this morning, I put on my raincoat, grab my umbrella and hot tea, turn on my iPod and set out for what might be a long trek to class. But alas, I managed to time it perfectly and happened upon the bus at the right moment for a ride to campus.

While this foot-trek looks long, cold and wet, I told myself it would be good for me. It would be one step  to being in shape, something I let go a long time ago. The past couple weeks were stressful and thus I retreated to soda and junk food for energy and late night munchies.  Now that I have ample amounts of time, I am telling myself I need to use it for good.

Instead of wasting hours on end on the computer, I’m going to read novels. With unreliable Internet at the apartment, I hope this encourages my endeavor to regain my love of reading.

Instead of sitting around watching TV, I’m going to workout at the rec center.

Why is it so hard to do the things you love during school? Everyone encourages you to take time for yourself, do some of the things you enjoy instead of being bogged down with work and school responsibilities. When you do find that elusive free time during a normal academic year, the last thing you want to do is read more or leave the comfort of your room and bed.

This summer will be different, I promise. My accountability is this blog so I ask you to demand these expectations I’ve set for myself.