Five fall’s ago, I was applying to colleges. Enjoying my last year of high school but also relieved that it was my last year of high school. I was thanking all of my teachers for all that they taught me, for preparing me for my next stage in life. I was spending time with the people I grew up with, knowing that soon we would all be going our separate ways.
Four fall’s ago, I was moving into college, away from home for the first time in my life. I was packing up my clothes and my shoes, my favorite pictures of my favorite people to hang on the walls of my new dorm. I was saying goodbye to my parents, comforting them, and convincing them that I was ready for this next milestone.
Three fall’s ago, I was moving into my first apartment. My first big-girl home. I was learning how to cook chicken and potatoes, I was mopping the kitchen floors and vacuuming the living room carpet. I was learning how to take care of everything on my own. I was learning how to adult as they say.
Two fall’s ago, I was getting on a plane to fly to Switzerland. I was climbing to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris. I was exploring the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. I was eating churros in Amsterdam. I was drinking out of steins at Oktoberfest in Germany and shopping in Milan. I was climbing volcanoes in Rwanda. I was teaching students in a rural village.
This fall, I’m a senior in college. I’m planning and taking my last few classes ever. I’m putting together Halloween costumes with my friends for the last time. I’m spending time in my cozy 4-roomie apartment, with my favorite people. I’m looking at jobs in Illinois and California and Tennessee. I’m looking back at the last five years of my life and preparing for the next one. Although, I’m not quite ready to.
Next fall, I could be anywhere. I could be at home, job searching. I could be back in Europe, pestered by the travel bug yet again. I could be across the country in California working. I could be anywhere in the world, doing absolutely anything. Reflecting back on the past five years has taught me this much: anything is possible and every year is a chance for growth.
