The Beginning of the End

Wednesday, September 2, 2009 will forever remain a milestone in my life. Compared to other achievements, the traditional birthdays, weddings and graduations that we habitually celebrate, it marked the beginning of the end.

We tend to gauge the passing of time by our accomplishing of goals that society sets as the norm. We anticipate turning sixteen, then eighteen and perhaps the most celebrated of them all, twenty-one. These are all ages signified by attainment of more rights—driving, voting, drinking, etc. September 2nd was a day unlike that. It was a day characterized by epiphany, melancholy, uneasiness and much beyond all of this, a sudden feeling of astonishment. It was the first day of my last year of college.

Over the past three years college has defined me. My daily routines worked around my class schedule. My social life was constructed around my colleagues. My education was concentrated on my chosen major. The communication tools I utilized, such as the internet, facebook, instant messenger and e-mail enabled me to stay connected to the social web that formed around me. My college career was everything I expected it to be and more. September 2nd only reinforced the notion that college, like many things in life is but a fleeting moment.
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t take back even a second of the past three years. I would be running around in circles if I wasn’t able to move forward. I'll dive in head first and I won't hesitate to explore and discover. So, I refer to a card my parents gave me when I graduated from high school in 2006. A quote from novelist John Updike reads,

"You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it."