Two Years

Two years ago today I walked across the stage at Ashland University. It was a beautiful sunny day, the first day of sun in weeks due to a LOT of rain that had happened recently. But for those 4 hours of the graduation ceremony, it was sunny and beautiful.

I remember being sad that it had rained so much that I wasn't going to get to graduate on the steps of Founder's Hall. We were the first class to graduate in the stadium and I remember being bitter about that. I wanted the grand ceremony where the graduates file in from around the chapel with the chapel bell ringing. But I settled for the graduation in the stadium. It was still a lovely ceremony and I remember being very touched when the professors walked through the lines of the graduates shaking our hands and congratulating us on our accomplishment.

Graduation is a blur in my mind beyond that. I remember walking across the stage but I can't remember my name being called or anything that happened before or after. Just bits and pieces, that's it.

I'm hoping in 3 days I will have a much more memorable graduation.

It's weird to think how much I have changed since I walked across that stage in Ashland. I am completely different person now than I was then...much more confident, much more ready to face the real world.

My time at Ashland shaped my life so much. If I hadn't gone to Ashland, hadn't joined the sorority...would I still be in student affairs today? Would I have found this field that I love so much? And if I had, would I be at Kent State? Would I have still met the people here?

I don't know. But everything in my life so far has been a choice, whether willing or not. Now it's time to throw caution to the wind and see where the wind will blow me next.