Taking A Second Swing At Senior Year

Well, here we go again. Senior Year. Round Two. Maybe if I didn't change my major seventeen times, I would be onto Graduate School or working somewhere as a teacher. But, let's be serious. I don't really want to leave Rowan, my home for the last four years of my life. 

It really does sound cliche. How could a college be a "home"? How are my roommates my family? How are my co-workers by family? How has joining a few clubs taught more than I could EVER have imagined learning in all of my classes combined? Somehow, it all has come together in such a beautiful way and I am reminded each and every day of just how lucky I am to be in my shoes.

Sometimes I get weirdly reflective at things. It doesn't happen much. Once a month, at most. But it is outstanding to have to imagine my life at another university, like Muhlenberg College - a college in a small town in Pennsylvania. Where would I be? I definitely would have not met some of the most fantastic, inspirational people that I've met here in good old Glassboro. I wouldn't have met the love of my life. I definitely wouldn't be planning to go to Grad School next year as a Graduate Assistant in a Recreation Center. 

My mom likes to say that life is all about geography and timing. She couldn't have been more right.

Anyway, tangent. 

I'm about to start my 9th semester of classes here at Rowan University in just a few days. Thinking about schoolwork again kind of makes me want to run for the hills. But my stress doesn't come from my academics. I'm basically a genius and have perfected the art of bullcrapping my way through lots of things, so I've managed to maintain a respectable GPA. (Don't worry Mom and Dad - I do study and work hard.) My stress lies in everything else I do outside of the classroom. 

REC Center Sport Club Supervisor
RIRSA President
NIRSA Student State Representative
PROS Member/Orientation Assistant
Community Service Member
IM Special Events Coordinator
Club Softball Member
Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentor
Devoted Girlfriend
Best Friend
Roommate
Daughter
Professional Organizer
Candle Enthusiast

I LOVE everything I do and I am confident when I say that I would be NO WHERE near where I am if I didn't do each one of these things. But every once in a while, I lose my mind. My planner book has ink almost completely covering it, and I am overwhelmed. Usually it deals with a small hyperventilating session to my poor boyfriend who has gotten very good at rubbing my back and saying "If anyone can do it, you can." But sometimes, I can't help it. And as much as I'm looking forward to this upcoming semester and all of the joys, learning experiences, new friends, professional development, and laughter associated with it, I can't help but be a little nervous that I'm going to fill my plate a little too full...once again. 

It also doesn't make it any better that my two best friends for the last four years are no longer by my side. Brielle, who I'm still calling my roommate, has graduated and moved to Jacksonville, FL for a year long program. Ryan, my boyfriend and best friend for four years also graduated and is currently looking for a job. These two suckers graduated in four years. Come on. And I'm here. I'm ready to grow up and move on and have Rowan in my back pocket with all of the experiences I've gained over the years. The emotions are all very confusing. I'm not even one to have or show many emotions. But, feeling stuck, feeling overwhelmed, feeling excited, feeling loved, feeling lonely, feeling blessed. 

I've always been a glass-half-full-kind-of-girl and I plan to stick to that forever. So, I remind myself every day how TRULY BLESSED I am and how the future holds fantastic things for me.