the last first day of school

It's an interesting concept. The beginning of the end. I can distinctly remember the day I changed my Facebook network--UF 2011. At the time, I was struggling with my own concept of growing up, transitioning from high school to college, leaving my old friends for new ones, moving out, and generally feeling as though life was about to change. But 2011 was four years away, and at 18, 4 years was a long time. Yet here I am, five days into the year I graduate college. Starting class for the last time as an undergraduate at the University of Florida.

There have certainly been times when I was ready to leave; times when the end couldn't come soon enough. Yet here I am, staring at a degree audit that reads: ALL REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. Academically I've reached my end at UF, but when I look back at college, will all my requirements have really been met?

I started a bucket list at the end of junior year. So far, none of my to-do items have been crossed off. I didn't attend every game, I'm not finished with my FBook, I haven't done anything spectacular to make this year more memorable. So now I'm faced with a list of accomplishments and a time frame to complete them while still occupying myself with school, involvement, and fwendz. I didn't ever manage to do a Salty Dog 11-11 happy hour, but I spent many happy hours with my friends in other places. I didn't get to be the director or chair of any event, but I made a significant contribution to many others. I didn't get straight As, but I managed to learn something from some of my classes. So have I failed my bucket list, or have I found other ways to make my time at UF my best time ever?

At the last service of camp this summer, my friend Ari began his farewell with this:

"If you only had two days left at camp, what would you do? Would you climb to the top of the rock wall? Would you sing the birkat on stage? Would you tell your friends and counselors how you really felt?"


This last semester will be my last hoorah. So will I spend my time climbing to the top of Century Tower, or simply making sure that every time I pass it I make a point to take in its beauty? Will I road trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, or will I spend my last spring break with the people who make me the happiest? Is it about the experiences, or the memories? With no direction in life I only know that this semester may be one of the most important times of my life, and however it's spent, it will be happy.