How Am I So Old?

Jamie Eddy || Feature Editor

It hit me straight in the face yesterday like a wave quickly barreling toward me, but one far greater in size than my surfing capabilities could handle.

I am graduating from college in three and a half weeks. It feels like just yesterday that I was putting the sheets on my extra long, extra skinny dorm room bed. There is a surreal feeling knowing that the approximately 18 years of schooling are coming to an end.

This celebratory moment marks a new chapter in my life, granting me the freedom to take on new challenges and adventures, and immerse myself into unfamiliar territories.

I’ve never been one to enjoy uncertainty or completely allow myself to not have a set schedule, but I’ve come to understand that these feelings are not unique to me.

Many of my friends and peers have expressed similar fears, particularly those without a job, traveling into unaccustomed cultures, or moving back home with mom and dad. This can be a bit frightening, but the potential positive outcomes may likely be greater than initially imagined.

As of now, I am content and at ease knowing I have yet to secure full-time employment, and hey, I’d probably be set for life if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me what I’m doing after school.

Most importantly, I will take however much time I have off after the graduation festivities to spend quality time with my family, animals, and friends, along with hopefully squeezing in some spontaneous road trips.

San Diego is a truly special place to live during one’s college career. The city, in addition to the USD community, has provided me a second home throughout the last four years. A home that has lent a tremendous hand in shaping my young adult, womanly self into someone who finds stimulation in learning, engaging with my peers, and exploring unknown areas near and far.

Now that I’m graduating, it seems as if I’ll simply have to live vicariously through the Instagram feeds of current USD undergraduates.