shewhodaydreams.com

I am a college graduate.

In fact, I am a first generation college graduate.

Graduation arrived as a simultaneously climactic and anticlimactic close to the past four years. Certainly the commencement ceremony itself was quite a to-do, with hundreds of new graduates, thousands of attendees, and multiple bagpipe performances. But I’d been wrapped up in studying for my exams until the Friday afternoon of finals week and (perhaps thankfully) had very little time to think about my impending graduation. I woke up on Saturday morning like it was any other day, and its significance didn’t really hit me until I walked on to RIMAC field and saw all of those beaming faces welcoming us into full-fledged adulthood.

I’ve been asked many, many times since then what my future plans are, and I’m often tempted to dodge the question with some light-hearted version of, “THIS is the BEGINNING of the REST OF MY LIFE!” This is a new beginning, though, and that reality deserves recognition and appreciation. I know it will take more than a few weeks to shrug off the ever-present guilt that I should be studying or reading or writing a paper. But the future is mine to shape as I wish, and I’m optimistic — and that’s my real answer to the question.

Recorded by/with some Mraz fans in Paris:

Last night I reunited with my suitemates from freshman year — Karen, Jen, Steph, Shelby, and Diana — and our friend Matt, who lived across the hall from us. I still live with Karen and Jen and frequently see everyone else, but we rarely find the opportunity to gather together as a big group. Since Matt, Steph, and I are graduating next weekend, we decided to go out for one last dinner (at the delicious Phil’s BBQ), followed by many, many rounds of Apples to Apples back at our house.

It’s so strange to be at the end of my time here. It certainly doesn’t feel like the end, and even though virtually every aspect of my future remains uncertain, I am calm.

The entire set of photos can be seen on Flickr; I’ve included a selection of favourites below.

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The complete set of photos can be viewed here.

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we all make goals:
to rise and fall as expected
to show up on time
to breathe in and out
until one of us expires
or gets bored

this land is so barren
i can see for miles if i care
to look, though i seldom do
but i can recall the view
from a windowless room,
the smoky taste of apathy