Some Would Say It Was the End of An Era

  It really was. Since preschool I’ve been having my schedule set, I knew exactly what was to be done the days following, precisely what was expected of me and of course one of the things most students dread, the completion of homework. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this but I will miss homework, I will miss studying for midterms and having all-nighters (could never help not doing them) on Finals Week.

It’s not so bad I guess, I will continue to have exams and I am planning to go back as soon as I can. So much happened, and by so much I mean SO MUCH. I think that doesn’t even cut it, my life turned around completely and its only about to keep turning with surprises at every corner.

It was during Finals Week that I decided to apply for grad school, the application was actually all ready all I needed was to push that “Done” button and send it away but a lot happened. Long story short I opted to not apply, I decided it was time to start my life because truth is I’m not getting any younger.

Funny how things turned out because on graduation I got the chance to talk to one of my professors, one that knew me best and as he shook my hand he told me he hoped to see me in the Fall because there was no way I would not get into the program. With the chair backing me up as well (another one of my favorite professors who never gave up on me), and two others, my GPA, involvement and “enthusiasm to face challenges” all I had to do was say “Yes, lets do this”.

Thing is, I had made my decision a few days earlier that life was going to take me somewhere else for a while. As soon as my professor said that I looked up and thought how the Universe was throwing so much at me. Criticized for my decision I was, quite a lot actually by family and friends. How could I have a foot in grad school and back out? Like I said, I’m not getting any younger.

As I walked up the path that I walked so many times before, for years I realized it was the last time I would hopefully just for the few months to come. I said farewell to the many bright minds that amazed me every day, to the professors that didn’t give up on me and the buildings that housed my very thoughts. It was my second home for five years, the place that saw me grow. Some say graduating from college is the end of an era, and you know what? It is.

Thank you, Universe.

Smile, be thankful for the opportunities you take and those you leave behind.

The Beginning of the End

   I’m very excited to say 2011 was by far the best year in personal growth I’ve had in my whole life. I not only learned so much about myself, but I found the courage to take many risks, I never felt more alive. Now that 2011 is gone there is a lot of things to take care of in this new year.

First, I’m more than excited to announce that next weekend marks the beginning of the end of a major chapter in my life: my life as an undergraduate student. Graduation is just around the corner, this June to be precise and I have many major decisions to make in the following weeks. I feel that this upcoming weekend will bring me closure and help me with the decisions I am about to make. This is the first year I start knowing absolutely nothing of what will happen, practically no plans made!

I guess you can say I am winging the first half of this year and see where I end up in the next couple of months. I am no longer scared of what may come next, if I stay to pursue graduate studies or if I end up living alone in a foreign country, I will welcome any change that comes my way. This last year I learned that if I don’t take risks I’ll never know where I can get to in life.

“If you want to do something big in your life, you must remember that shyness is only the mind, If you think shy, you act shy. If you think confident you act confident. Therefore never let shyness conquer your mind.”

–Arfa Karim Randhawa (R.I.P.)

May this year be greater than last, may we all learn from our past. Here’s to the future, here’s to the start of a new era.

Smile, the future is ahead of us.