Graduating from college is the ending of four years of learning and memories. Changes happen when you move home from college, or into your first apartment. New things come into your life, or you might keep the job you’ve had throughout college. You might go off to grad school. Maybe you’ll apply and obtain another job to pay the rent or save for a car.

Relatives and acquaintances alike have asked me what I want to do and what my summer plans are. Right now, I just want to relax a bit and enjoy my accomplishment of making it through four years and completing two majors. It was tough. But I survived.

The transition has been a little rough. It’s only been a few days. Things have changed. I don’t live with my best friends. I don’t get to see them every day, and the friendships will continue to evolve. They always have, and always will. I know that the true ones will stick with me even when we don’t get to see each other every day or even every week. I will miss them.

But we have all started new chapters. One of us is off to grad school. One is living in a new house with an old friend. One is living at home and commuting for the last two semesters she has of college.

Me, you may ask? I’m enjoying my time that is no longer spent doing course assignments or out-of-class reading. I’m making scrapbook pages of my best days at Aquinas, and thanking God (actually though, praying and giving thanks) that the bad times that I had in college are in the past. Over and done. I would say with confidence that I had more positive experiences than negative ones at Aquinas. I know that. The good doesn’t cancel out the bad, but it makes me appreciate the good more when I experience the great times in life.

My mind is somewhat understandably still in “school mode.” I keep absentmindedly thinking about having to do homework and then realizing that I never have to again. Unless I decide to go to grad school. Right now, that’s not in the cards.

All I know is, I’ve got a degree. I have years to figure out exactly what I want to do, and I don’t have to have anything set in stone yet. I’m taking each day as it comes, and living my life. I don’t want to plan out everything or worry too excessively about where I’m going. After all, it’s only been a few days since I graduated. I’ve got time.