Life's-a-changin'

So this semester is quickly coming to an end...which means I only have one more semester left at Flagler College.

I have never been good with change. I was always the kid who cried on the last day of school all throughout my elementary years. As an adult, I never cry...at least I never let anyone see me cry. It takes a lot to break me down to tears.

With that said, the other day, as I was driving home from school by myself, Kenny Chesney's "I Go Back" came on the radio. I was singing right along with it until I all of a sudden burst into tears. If you have never heard it, you might want to at least read through the lyrics so you understand this blog post a little better. (Or at least understand what sent me into hysteria..I promise I'm not crazy).

After some thought, I realized that the words in that song really hit a nerve. Kenny sings, "Growing up too fast and I do recall wishing time would stop right in its tracks." In that moment I suddenly felt like I had lost complete control of time and my life was spiraling out in all different directions. I then shook myself out of that dramatic train of thought and rationally thought about what actually had affected me.

I just turned 22 and was a little hard to handle. I had just turned 21! How had it already been a year? But the day came and went and I survived. I'm not sure what it is but the fact that graduation is right around the corner is mind-boggling. I remember the first day of highschool orientation when my principle, Mr Tracy, told us that the next four years were going to fly by and that on the day of our graduation we would all think back to him saying those words.

Well, highschool graduation came and we all sat and talked about the day Mr. Tracy had told us that those four years were going to fly. And fly they did. We all went off to college and I remember my first day at Flagler...the dean said these next four years are going to fly by so enjoy them while you can. Once again, those four years did fly by.

And now it's almost time for everyone I have met and befriended at college to make some very important life decisions: where to move after graduation, what kind of career we want to pursue, what graduate school we should apply to. The hardest part for me to deal with is the fact that we are all most likely going to end up in different places, doing different things.

I am so excited to see what happens in the next chapter in my life. But I am also terrified. For the first time ever I have no idea what is coming next. Will I get a job? Will I go home or move away? Who will I stay in touch with? How do you make friends when you are not in school?

My whole life, all I have known is school. After middle school, I knew I was going to highschool. After highscool, I knew I was going to college. But now what? I guess it is just fear of the unknown, and I do believe that things will just naturally work themselves out, but it is still a really scary feeling.

To wrap this up (sorry to ramble but I had to get it out there), the other day as I was sitting in my Social Media class listening to presentations, I got really sad. I was watching my classmates, who I have been in classes with, worked on projects with, been involved with school clubs and organizations, and I realized that this is it. We will soon all go our separate ways, and only the memory of our time spent together at Flagler College will remain.

So, to the Flagler College Class of 2012, I wish you all the best of luck in all future endeavors. Our generation is pretty awesome and I think we are all capable of doing some pretty great things. I've learned a lot, not just educationally but personally as well. I'm the person I am today in large part to the people I have met at school, and for that I thank you.

I Go Back -- Kenny Chesney