These past couple of weeks, I have been forced to think about the fact that this is my last year at CLU. I am suddenly hit with the realization that I need to send in my grad school applications, apply for graduation, and think about what my life is going to look like after May. I have been so focused on the present in these past few years that I have barely given any thought to my next steps.
I always knew that my general plan was to get my teaching credential and then become a high school social studies teacher. This school year, however, has opened up new opportunities that force me to think deeper about how exactly I am going to achieve my next steps.
I started this school year already wishing it was over. For the first time, I was dreading the fall semester when I should have been excited. Now that things are in full swing, a few opportunities have gotten me excited about my last year. I have the opportunity to present research at a couple different conferences throughout this school year. This is exciting because I get to expand on previous research I have done and experience research conferences with other students from all over the state and even the country. I have also gotten to learn about various programs I can partake in after I graduate that will help me in my professional career. This has forced me to get more specific when planning for next year and think about where I want to attend grad school and where I might want to work.
I am starting to realize that I will be so sad when this year is over and miss everything about life on campus. I was sitting in a meeting with one of my advisors this week and started thinking about how much I am going to miss going to her office hours for advice on classwork, registration, or anything else. I have been so involved on campus in lots of different ways during my time here at CLU that I am having a hard time picturing my life after graduation. I know that everyone else in my class is probably feeling similarly and that things will eventually fall into place, but its hard to see it that way right now. For the present, I am trying to experience everything CLU has to offer for the last time while keeping my future in mind.