High school, in the words of my friend is "a cakewalk". To all you who graduated today and got your diplomas I apologize for the offensive statement, but in a few years you will quote me word word for word.
High school was hard for me, really, really excruciating. Which is why I wasn't thrilled about more education. I really wasn't overjoyed at the thought of having to put myself in the realm of near failure all over again.
But I did of my own choice and I succeeded. One week after getting that diploma I'm still living on the high of actually earning a college diploma.
Its an amazing thrill that brings this silly grin to my face every time I think about it. Because when your well into your 20's, way past the age of the average college graduate, there is nothing more satisfying than having a college degree.
Because all those years before school, during school, between school, and during school again you are your own driving force.
You are the one choosing to spend the money you worked so hard for on a degree that you don't even know is going to do anything for you.
You are the one choosing to write MLA style research papers when you would rather be blogging about some random hysterical moment at work.
You are the one choosing the stress to earn a degree that holds so much hope, but no promise.
You are the one choosing to do homework in your kitchen after you have worked all day and will get up early tomorrow to go to work.
You are the one choosing to spend your time on homework instead jumping into a ministry you love.
You are the one choosing to be in this season.
No one made me. People encouraged me but in the end it was my choice. A choice I questioned myself about many times. Was it so worth it to get that degree. After all its just a piece of paper and I wasn't really sure it was my ticket to anything.
When that flash of a moment happened and I was handed my degree a tsunami of emotion hit me that I wasn't prepared for. I finished something, something that was hard and something that I did not have to do, but I did it.
It was a journey, a journey where I gained so many precious friends, and collected a plethora of memories. A journey were a I learned many valuable things. A journey were I grew in myself both outside and inside the classroom.
Friends and memories from this journey are the precious souvenirs I will keep forever. I'm thankful that in my life toolbox are the core classes from my major which have changed the way I think and are still changing me.
But the classes I loathed so. The classes I got the lowest grades in. The classes that sometimes drove me to tears. The classes that made my neck ache with stress.
Those are the classes that might have changed me the most. The classes that made the journey grueling and made me question why I was on the journey. These classes that taught me to be determined and persevere.
Because I didn't have to go on this journey, but if I didn't I would have missed out on the spectacular moments and people. The people who are still in my life. The frustration and joys of the college years knit us close and the relationships can't be ripped apart now.
The sweet things of this journey I want to never forget, but the hard things I want to keep branded onto the walls of my memory. Remembering the scorching pain of the brand is what made reaching the destination so fantastically amazing. Its true what they say, the hardest things do bring this is the most joy.
I really don't know what my life would be like if I would have skipped out on college, but this I do know.
If I hadn't gone to college I would have missed out on knowing that I could do something I never thought possible.
It was worth it.
