6 years since I graduated from college
It was May of 2017. I walked across a big stage in an auditorium full of proud parents, donning a maroon cap and gown, with my hair perfectly curled. I wore a tight-lipped grin and tried to breathe through my stage fright. I wore a dress from Francesca’s that I would try to return after because #college
In my audience sat my divorced parents, younger brother, and boyfriend. My older brother and his girlfriend were outside watching on a big screen since we were only given four tickets (big school probs).
It was the first time in a long time my entire family was all together. It definitely didn’t go smoothly, but I remember how warm I felt having them there, in Chicago, for me.
This May will mark the 6-year anniversary of my college graduation.
I always “low-key” celebrate and honor this anniversary for a couple of reasons.
#1. The moment I walked across the stage was arguably the proudest of myself I’ve ever been. Yep. I admitted that.
I worked full-time in college while taking 18 credits each semester. I graduated 1 year early. I took calculus and two semesters of accounting. Finance. Advanced micro and macro. It was hard. I did it. S/O to Ben & Jerry’s, my gym, and my fearless roommate who also was in business school. And I did it with a 3.5 GPA. Mind you - I’m not an academic. That’s part of why this milestone in my life was so important to me. I worked my ass off.
#2. I had been silently living for this day of “ultimate” freedom since I was 13. High school didn’t do it for me. College was a challenge and I didn’t have many friends. But post-college? Career Anna? She was ready to thrive. To grow. To change. To move across the country. To start living. And that’s exactly what I did. My college graduation was the start of the year I experienced the most personal growth, the year I moved to a city I had never been to before, and the year I would start my own business. It was a catalyst.
Can’t anything be a catalyst if you know how to use the circumstances you are given?
The fact that I can look back and still feel those emotions as I did on stage that day means so much to me. It’s important to be proud of yourself. I encourage it.
“Go forth and set the world on fire” - St. Ignatius of Loyola
My “tight-lipped” smile :)