Like a Rising Sun: An End of an Era

I've been putting off writing this post for a few days now. But I know some of the sharper feelings and memories are starting to slip.

A picture of me on the last day of class.

My view of the school of social work (large pointy building on left side) on my last day of class from the parking garage I parked at everyday for class.

A picture of me walking across the stage after being hooded.

This is the first time in my life that I'm not a student since I was an infant. I've spent the past 19 years being a student. I love being a student! I love the thrill of the start of a new school year, of learning a new concept for the first time, to the payback of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone (my computer programming class in undergrad). With this graduation, it is also the closing of the more carefree, whimsical years of my life.

The one of having a cherished community of like minded people, of late nights studying with friends, to the random student schedule that often lead to Mondays off and mandatory tea breaks during 3 hour classes. The general freedom to be selfish in your pursuit of knowledge and personal growth. With the campus being all in bloom, it keeps bringing me back to my days at orientation, when the world was so new and uncertain. My book was yet to be written as Natasha Bendingfield would say. I still can feel those feelings of mixed mystery and excitement that I felt as a freshman, stepping on to the campus for the very first time. The nostalgia of my dorm room, my first big crush who would later become my husband, of figuring out my path of social work.

Me, freshman year.

I think though as much as I love being a student, I love Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan equally as much. And with that, I also feel so fortunate to have a degree which has given me the opportunity to serve people in need. Which is a bigger passion of mine at this time than continuing my path as a student. Which I think is the beauty of life, trusting the process, being in tune with yourself to know that your life and career grows with you as a person. Maybe one day I will be a student again, maybe I wont. All I know is that the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor has given me so much in these past 5 years: internships and research opportunities, 2 degrees, multitude of friends, a husband, a path. So with all of that said I am leaving this chapter of my life with affirmation from one of my favorite professors "With any transition in life, its okay to feel a mix of every emotion. Something that brought you comfort and growth is hard to leave. It is important to feel and honor all of these emotions, but then to let go into the next stage of life".

A few pictures of my family. Thank you for supporting me on this journey.