[bittersweet]

well, it finally came and went.

graduation.

i remember when i thought that it would never be here. it seemed so far off when i decided to switch into architecture after already spending two years in a different major. not only would i have to wait until the next fall to start but it would then be four years before i could walk across that stage. these last few weeks however seemed to accelerate with each passing day.


switching into architecture was one of the best decisions of my life, and i don't regret the added years to my tally. not only is it a wonderful profession to study, but i've made such dear and great friends the past four years. sitting on the stage in the very back, blessed with a "w" last name, i had a mix of feelings. i was thrilled that i was done, and starting my professional life, but with my excitement was also nervousness, regret, exhaustion and some sadness. looking at the mortar boards in front of me, i realized it would be years before i see some of my classmates again. the past four years i've seen them everyday in the lecture halls and studios, but soon they'll be all gone, going their own way. their faces will soon be replaced with the faces of the firm i'll work for. but these new faces were not in my structures class, or ordered pizza shuttle with me late at night, or laughed at those things that are only funny at 3 a.m. these new faces were not there to celebrate the end of a project at bellies. but as frank sinatra would say, "that's life", one chapter ends and another begins. only in this chapter, i'll get paid for working on cad and building models, so i got that going for me, which is nice.

graduation turned out to be a wonderful day. six of us decided to celebrate our graduation together, which ended up being a blast. for a few hours we didn't 't think about the future and all the unknowns it holds. we were all celebrating the end of a long crazy rollercoaster ride i like to call "getting your bachelors of architecture from kansas state."