I’m sitting in the Pittsburgh airport, waiting and preparing to fly back to SMC for one last semester. One last chance to go to Feve (tbh I’ve never been), one last chance to be with my friends, one last chance to call Saint Mary’s home.
Everyone has different feelings about graduating. Some people feel nervous has heck because #adulting, others feel ready to move on to their next stage of life. Me? I’m somewhere in between. I definitely don’t feel grown up enough to be completely on my own without the comforts of a dorm or my home, but I also get the sense that I’m ready to move on to something new.
After 7 semesters as a smick, I’ve learned a lot, from how to make my own doctor’s appointments to how to check my privilege. I’ve learned how to be independent, but I’ve also learned just how much I sometimes need to lean on my family and friends, too (which I never did as an antsy high schooler!). As the cheesy Sister Madeleva quote goes, I’ve certainly discovered myself. Saint Mary’s fulfilled that promise.
I think it’s good to have this combination of feeling both excited and ready while at the same time nervous and sad to graduate. It proves I’ve had a great four years that I wouldn’t give up for anything, but that these four years also prepared me to enter the real world with excitement and readiness. I’m prepared to be a productive citizen, and I’m eager to put my education to good use.
I’ll miss my belles, obviously. I’ll miss our late nights in dorm rooms, drinking wine. I’ll miss all the times I they rolled their eyes when I last-minute backed out of going to Feve! I’ll miss complaining in the DH, taking Insta pics by the lake, and walking back to SMC from Notre Dame at midnight even though its supposedly “dangerous.” But when I miss these moments, I won’t feel sad or hopelessly nostalgic. Instead, I’ll feel glad they happened and excited for the memories to come.
So, whatever this last semester brings, bring it on (I’d insert cheesy belle and blue heart emojis here, if I could)