Those first few days I slept so well. However, the next two weeks felt odd. I had a lot more extra time, and I had no idea how I was going to fill it. My brain was just itching for a schedule. Would I catch up on reading? Go on more runs? Would I sign up for a kickboxing class? Write more? Would I work out? Would I sign up for a class - not career related? And if you’ve been around here for a while you know I enjoy consistency & routine so I started trying to fill the gaps and create a schedule. Then one afternoon someone said, “Hey, take a breath. You’ve got time.” That’s when I had to force myself to take a pause. I had been trying to do ALL of the things ALL at once. I wasn’t giving my mind or body any kind of break. And let me say, they deserved to slow down. I deserved to relax and feel calm. To destress. So, I scaled back.
“No” became a word in my vocabulary. I left work at 5 pm. I did set aside time to work out, but it’s limited to 40 minutes of movement. And then my regular runs. But that was about it. I went to work and then came home. I spent a lot of time in my PJs. I ate delicious food and spent time with my family. I made time to see my bestie while she was in Texas. And I just enjoyed not having a research paper, reading assignments, or tests. No, final looming on the horizon. It hasn’t been the easiest thing, getting out of that “go, go, go” mindset. Some days I still catch myself being in a rush. However, those days are becoming less frequent.
Then on August 11, 2023, I walked out onto the field at Memorial Stadium with the rest of my Summer 2023 class. I walked across the stage, shook our University president’s hand, and received my “diploma”. It was my first-ever graduation. I was homeschooled in high school so I didn’t have a commencement. And then I didn’t walk for my Associate’s degree, because honestly, I didn’t apply and I forgot about it. So, this was pretty important to me. And I couldn’t stop smiling on graduation day. I was just so happy, and grateful. This week I received the official email stating that my grades have been verified, I had no holds, and everything cleared. My diploma will arrive in 8 weeks. And that marked the end of my college run! At least for now. I keep getting asked if I’m going to get my Master’s, and my response is usually, “Nope.” But as the old saying goes, “Never say never.”
For now, I am just so damn proud of getting my Bachelor. I crossed the finish line with an Institutional GPA of 3.57 and an overall GPA of 3.45. All of that hard work paid off! I didn’t do it alone though. I had help, and there were sacrifices made. I wouldn’t have made it through without the love, support, help, and encouragement of my loved ones. This achievement was just as much theirs as it was mine. So, I think we’re all going to relish this moment for a bit. I mean, y’all, I freakin’ did it! I graduated!
