Rooibos tea, political science, and a sunrise: The end of an era

First of all: I want to apologize to you, journalism career.

I have found you to be captivating, engaging, and completely worth it, but I have really missed the Oxford comma. It just makes sense.

Also, this morning was very special to me.

It was the last of my college sunrise days.

A back story:

My best work is done early in the morning. (i.e. look at the name of this blog.)

My brain is completely useless after 8 p.m., and so I really strive to stay away from any major life decisions after that hour.

Throughout my entire college career, I had many days where I got up incredibly early to finish homework.

Today, it was my very last assignment for college, ever.

[Yes, I procrastinate. And it's bad. But I love deadlines.]

I am not done with this essay yet; it is due before midnight tonight.

But something about this morning was so poignant.

As frustrating as assignments could be, I loved the very act of being a student. It has been my identity for nearly my entire life, and without it, I feel like I'm empty.

I won't stop learning, of course. I'll always be a student of life. I don't care how cheesy it sounds.

But the truth is, I lived for those early mornings. I loved the rush of getting up before the sun to beat the clock, cup of tea in hand, pouring out ideas on paper about topics very new to me.

Sometimes, when I really got carried away, I wouldn't write for the grade. I would write each sentence like it was part of some fantastic story, totally enveloped in the hard work and ideas so many others had pored over before me in their research.

I graduate on Saturday, but I truly feel that by midnight tonight, (when I have hopefully turned in this paper...yikes) I will have handed in my student card. At least for now, in the realm of academia.

That's why everything today I have tried to savor. I really worked to craft a good paper,(okay, a decent paper. Hello senioritis.)and then I stopped for coffee with a friend before work. The rest of the day and the week will likely be a blur (especially Thursday; senior traditions...) but I hope it's a wonderful blur. One filled with all sorts of craziness and goodbyes.

I do intend to be back in a classroom again. I will be, actually...part of the new job requires a real estate license.

But I have big plans outside the realm of my undergraduate studies, and I am ready for whatever comes next.

And I can assure you, a lot of it will be documented right here, so I don't lose it in the big hodge podge of life.

Again, to all of you graduating this month, congratulations. Onto the next chapter!