graduation...

I still can't believe that I can now say I am a college graduate. Saturday night was so surreal for me because I knew it was happening but it all felt like a wonderful dream. All of the graduates lined up in the back of the arena in designated areas due to the degree we had earned. When it was time to walk out in front of the audience, the entire faculty and staff lined up on each side of us to make a walkway. They clapped and congratulated us as we walked by and though my eyes were misty, the tears didn't fall until I heard Dr. B, my coding professor, yelling mine and my sisters names and cheering us on.  (I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but my sister and I entered college at the same time and we majored in the same field so each semester we created our schedules to match so we could take our classes together). I could hear the audience begin to cheer as the first of the line of graduates entered the seating area in the arena. Being among the shortest of graduates, I couldn't find my family in the audience.  My sister was behind me and with her being almost 6 feet tall with about a two inch heeled shoe on, she found our family. I cannot put into words the joy and pride I felt walking across that stage to shake the college president's hand. After the ceremony our entire family went out dinner together. All in all, it was one of the best nights of my life.

Now that graduation is over, I'm having some feelings that I didn't expect. I am so happy I graduated but at the same time I feel a little sad and lost. Sad because I loved college, or to be more specific I loved learning. Lost because even though I'm going to be working a good job with good pay and great benefits, I already miss school. Right now I'm thinking some of this will wear off. First, I still have all kinds of emotion running through me from achieving my goal of earning a degree, and second because sometimes it takes me a little while to adapt to change. Well, adapt really isn't the word to use because I can adapt quickly. It's more that my mind needs a while to analyze and get through the acceptance of the adaption. Either way I will be fine! If I can't get over the feeling of being lost without school then the answer is clear to me, go for a bachelor's. It's not like I can't ever go back to school.