This is a Hymn to the Garnet and the Gold

SHE DID IT!! BRANDI GRADUATED!!!MA DFGKSDJFGKLSDFHG

Two years ago I was in her shoes and I felt the exact same way she did today: content. Her and I are good friends because we're similar. We acknowledge that the Bachelors degree was an achievement but we also know that we have more to go. Graduating from Florida State was a good day for both of us and I am so excited that she finished! She worked so hard and she's come so far!

Driving to Tallahassee was not fun and I don't want to do it again any time soon but I did miss being in Tally. It was weird to see the city again. It looked so similar and yet so different! Until next time Tally!

Two of Three

I will have to go back and post a picture of my second "graduation" certificate when I am no longer at the library studying for a 7:30 AM final (WHY DOES THIS EXIST???) but that is what I did today.

I woke up, went to my Stress and Resilience professor to look over some PowerPoints for my test tomorrow, and then I went to get lunch with my BIGGGGLLLEESSSS!! She was in town to help out her sister (Ya'll know Brianna) and we all got to get Panera before she had to go back home. Afterwards, I said goodbye to Brandi who moved out of her dorm (suck it Smith) and went home for the summer. While that was not the last time that I will see Brandi, it might be the last time I see her in Tallahassee. Oh my goosssshhh.

The day ended with me running home, changing into my graduation regalia and then attending this ceremony called the Rite of A-rak-ke-ce-tv which is a Seminole Creek word meaning "to honor." Because I was involved with some many organizations on campus, I was given the opportunity to participate in this ceremony and receive a special, tribal graduation stole.


Now to learn four chapters of Stress and Resilience, review for five thousand hours, take my final final exam and then complete my third (and final) graduation ceremony. It's been real.

Just Be Somebody

 

 I started today at 7:30am when I told myself: "This is your last week of classes as an undergraduate college student. Make this week count." When I walked out to the bus stop, I was greeted with this message. "Be somebody."

This is a great message for someone who is A, almost finished with her first degree and B, who has been doubting themselves a little. I have been pretty lax the last half of this semester. Sure, its ebbed and flowed but I can't deny that it happened. And as I've stated before, I don't want to be that person. 

If you didn't know already, I am a huge believer in signs be it from a deity or the energy of the universe. Signs exist, you just have to recognize them. As soon as I saw this sticker this morning I knew that it was a sign. I knew that it meant I had made a good choice for the day by not wasting it (obviously a good choice) and I knew that it would be the inspiration for today's post. We should all be striving to be somebody. We should all want to be the absolute best versions of ourselves doing the most influential and meaningful things that we can be doing. Go out and be someone.

Today I was a good college student, something I haven't been in a while. I attended all of my classes (GO ME), went to work, sent out the first 13 graduation announcements (Oh goodness), and then I helped to elect the new e-board and chairs for my sorority before going back to work until 2 AM. I am SO confident in these girls and the changes they are going to bring to this organization.

I was also greeted with this lovely reminder about how quickly my time at school is going by. My family and friends told me that it would be a quick journey just like my high school career was. I am excited to end this chapter and hopefully start a new one very soon.

Degree in Three

So my first of three graduation ceremonies was today. When I started school, I walked on as a sophomore and I knew that I would be getting out of here early. Thank heaven. One less year to pay for. One less year to push through. One more year I can use towards graduate school.

In order to get out of here in three years I needed some assistance. This came in the form of the Degree in Three Program which allows students with accelerated credit to have priority registration in order to get the classes we need in a timely manner. 

Today I was congratulated and celebrated for having achieved my degree in three years. I shook person X, Y, and Z's hand and heard other students' stories about the program and their collegiate career. I told my story (briefly) and then it was over. 

Go me. Go us. Go class of 2014. 

Final Two Months

As a sister and I entered our college town this afternoon, we were greeted with rain, puddles, humidity, and general icky-ness. It's like Mother Nature knew we were all sad that spring break was over and wanted to cry with us. She's still crying mind you. Of course maybe Mother Nature is sad that she will be losing so many students from this area soon. Or maybe the clouds were just really full of evaporated water. 

Regardless of why the sky is pouring buckets of water on our heads, today is kind of a big deal. Today marks my last two months in my apartment near campus. It marks about 40 days until graduation. It marks the end. Three years ago I was in the middle of preparing for IB and AP exams and I was about to accept my acceptance at my university. Now it's almost over. I'm preparing for the GRE, looking at other schools, thinking about jobs back home. It's a whole new ball game and I'm not sure I'm ready. I've been on the cusp of adulthood since I was twelve and now you're telling me its actually time? My nearly 10 years of waiting is almost over? What?

I always knew that I would have a hard time transitioning to a life outside of school. I had that realization in fifth grade when they asked us to put together a portfolio of what we wanted our lives to be. We had to come up with a title for each "chapter" of our lives and while the only title I remember is "UT is for Me" I distinctly remember asking my self: "What is it going to be like when we're done with school? What do we do then?" Then I panicked, starting planing ways to stay in elementary school forever, and tried to come up with a way to freeze time.

In all seriousness, I still haven't quite figured out what's next. I know where I want to go in life, how I want to help others and be successful but I don't know about June. I go home and work on saving as much as possible and helping my sister. We'll see. 

SIDENOTE: I'VE RAISED 207 FOR DANCE MARATHON!!! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED SO FAR!!