I just walked across the stage at commencement back in May, decked in cap-and-gown, and now I'm back in school, with paper and pencil at hand. Hold on, I just graduated, didn't I? Why am I still in school? Well you see, I'm what people refer to as a "super-senior," which means that for one reason or another, I don't get my diploma until I finish off the rest of my academic requirements, even after participating in the formal commencement ceremony. So here I am in class on August 29th witnessing the last dying gasp of a longtime childhood ritual, the first day of school.

As you'd expect, this first day is not like the other first days. My one class of the day was not until 1:00 in the afternoon and the subject matter ironically addresses writing about life's challenges. Gone are the days when I had to wake up at 6:30 to get ready for the bus to bring me to school, now I nonchalantly walk a block or two to my only class and back home to do some work on my laptop. Even though I've balanced work and school before, more time has been set aside specifically for working on my job, with Friday having no class at all. Having the majority of my classes allocated to only Tuesday and Thursday and ending the week off with a day at work is a good summary of where I find myself in this juncture of my life; my educational career is about to get squeezed out as my future is destined for the workforce.

That’s not to say that I won’t have any more great experiences ahead of me when I’m firmly established as a cog in society’s wheel (at least I hope I will), but I am about to face a totally new dynamic I had only just tasted before. This is also not an excuse for me to slack off despite reaching the finish line of my educational career, but a chance to take advantage of this moment before it slips away. I may have no more classes to look forward to after this year, but I should still live in the present and make the most out of this experience while it lasts.

For one thing, I love to take every stage of my life in stride and embrace the opportunities that each stage presents. On the other hand, I’m uncertain about the future and don’t know what I’m going to do immediately after this semester, which harbors internal feelings of anxiety about my personal livelihood. I’ll probably have a roof over my head no matter what, but I still feel this existential pressure to not screw up my transition towards independence or rely on my parents for continued financial assistance when I should have that full-time job already.

Whatever the case may be, I should see to it that I not worry so much about the future when I’ve got much to think about right now in the present. I don’t concern myself about what happens after I kick the bucket, so I also shouldn’t be preoccupied about what happens after this last first day.