My Last Semester as an #SAgrad

Spring 2013 started quickly and with fury, as I returned to Oklahoma from a fast-paced winter break in California (and Portland, Oregon). The morning after returning from a trip to DisneyLand and a game of Killer Bunnies with the twins, I caught a flight back to Oklahoma. The entire week following that was spent studying for my comprehensive exams, which I rocked the Saturday after being in DisneyLand.

The forecast was bleak and cold for the next couple of weeks – there was an anticipation for temperatures far below the normal range. It ended up not getting below 10 degrees, but was still frightfully cold. Actually, even to this point, this spring has been colder than normal, and keeps breaking all kinds of records for coldness.

From there it was uphill with preparation for Big Pink Volleyball and the beginning of my job search. A desire to make my resume absolutely perfect kept me from beginning until later than I would have liked, but I had the resume of my dreams. Well-organized, concise, detailed and good enough that when I have shown it to resume help since (especially at TPE) there are rarely changes suggested.

The first weekend in February, I flew out to the Puget Sound area to visit my Aunt and help her celebrate her birthday. Being on the ferry across the bay to Seattle reminded me of all the times I have visited her over the years, and really struck me that I am the age of many of the daily commuters. It struck me that my life is my own, and that (with God’s guidance) I make the decisions for where I want to be and what I want to do.

February rolled on, Big Pink was an incredible experience – I truly love this tournament and what it does nationally and for individual communities and people. Big Pink is something that I can connect with because it is my choice to, not because when I was young I was forced to like it.

A mid-March flight to Orlando took me to TPE, which quickly became NASPA, which quickly ended. It was an incredible experience to be able to experience a space and visit with people I knew or had met or connected with via Twitter, to have very real and honest conversations. Two of the things I love about Student Affairs are getting the opportunity to travel to new and different places, and being able to meet new and different people.

After TPE and NASPA, I was a bit dazed and confused. Some conversations to clarify my path and desires helped organize my thoughts, and after a conversation with my department head I made some pretty significant decisions which helped me organize a plan.

The winter was cold, and the spring continued that trend. The sun will peak out for a few days, then burrow back into clouds and coldness before returning. I am hopeful that these last couple of weeks in Oklahoma will be filled with sunshine and warmth, but who knows what may happen.

And the semester kept going, like a speeding train zipping to its end destination.

Here I am, today is the last stop on the Train Ride that was the Spring 2013 semester. After a couple early summer classes, I will have my last projects done and I will have finally earned my graduate degree.

This afternoon, a couple hours after this post is queued to post, I will be walking across a stage and being given an empty diploma holder.

A few more weeks, and I am done with graduate school.

Now… maybe I should consider further education?