To the girls at the University intersection.

Well, I did it.

I'm officially a college grad.

Whoa.

The day was flawless; I couldn't have asked for a better ceremony. The speaker was incredible, I was surrounded by friends and family who I love dearly and we ended the night at Disney--like any night in my life should end.

While driving to campus, I was nauseous. Dad had the van, but it was filled to the brim with my family members (mom, dad, Scotty, Seth, Aunt Melissa, Grandpa and Cody). So I had to drive myself.

I blasted T. Swift's newest tunes--specifically "Long Live" because it seemed to fit the mood--and stopped at the intersection I've stopped at thousands of times. I ran over the events the afternoon would endure in my head. I had my cap, I had my gown, I had my tickets, I had my reader card...

And then I heard someone yelling at me from the car over.

It was a car full of girls; none of them I recognized. I frowned and tried to replay my actions in my head. Had I cut them off on accident? Did I have a flat tire? Was my gown hanging outside my car door?!

I rolled down my window while a girl yelled out, "Congratulations! You're graduating!" I smiled and glanced in the back seat where my gown hung delicately from the little hanging hook above my back door.

"Thanks," I smiled. They were turning, as well, also stopped at the red light. "Are one of you graduating?" They surely didn't look like it--they were dressed like they might be headed to a beach and they didn't look older than nineteen.

"Nah," she shook her head and scrunched up her nose. "We're freshmen. We're just now starting our second semester!"

I nodded with a grin. I remember being them. "I know you've probably heard it a thousand times," I begin with the all-knowing smile. "But don't wish it away! You'll be in my shoes before you know it."

They laugh and nod, obviously hearing it for the millionth time. The light turns green, they wish me well and vice versa and we drive away.

So here's to the girls in that car. May your college career be as fulfilling and entertaining as mine was, may you procrastinate on every single assignment and bite your nails to the core awaiting your final semester grades, may you be proud of your accomplishments and truly admire the work you have done in school.

But most of all--may you take in the moments, breathe a little and relish in the experiences. May you take your time and not rush the days.

Because your "today" will be here before you know it.

Don't blink.

Tomorrow is one of the biggest days of my life.

In fact, at this stage in my life, I feel confident saying that this is probably the most important day to date.

Tomorrow, I graduate from college.

The idea is so surreal to me--it's insane!

I'm sitting here and trying to remember where the time has gone.

Summer of 2007 is when I moved to UCF. I was seventeen-years-old, barely able to pick out my own clothes in the morning. The family moved me into Lake Claire Apartments--a campus "apartment" style of housing for incoming freshman. Jess, Jasmine, Alex and I had our ups and downs in that apartment, but we were inevitably a team. I remember going to go get dinner with Alex our first night in, wondering if we should call our moms and make sure it was okay. I remember sitting on the floor, crying with Jess about how much we missed home. I remember celebrating mine and Jazz's birthdays--setting off the fire alarm with the candles we weren't supposed to light. Time of my life.

Fall of 2007, I moved into Hercules, the LEAD building. I met so many new friends (and discovered hidden friendships with those from back home; like Chelsie, James, Joey, Sammy and Jason). I remember our midnight movie nights in Tiff and Mag's room. The 3:00am trips to the student union with Jason, where he taught me how to play poole. I remember driving clear across the state to go meet Nick Carter and Howie Dorough--mine and Chels's first nights clubbing. Then driving all the way back to Orlando, arriving at 5am, and waking up at 9:00am for biology. (I never took another nine o'clock AM class again.) I got hired at Disney, working at POTC. I never thought I'd be there for as long as I was. I made friends that will be my best friends for the rest of my life. Time of my life.

Spring of 2008, I stayed in Hercules. I was home-sick. Chels and I would stay up late, talking about home and how much we missed our families, talking about boys and how I wished Portland, Oregon was just a little bit closer. I fell in love. I did whatever I could to get him to love me back. I made decisions and jumped the gun on a couple of different things, but that didn't make my decisions any less valid. I was an adult and I learned that this semester. Time of my life; times that I'll never allow myself to regret.

Summer of 2008, I moved to Rosen. Oh, Rosen. I opted out of summer classes and took some time off. I worked. I played. I worked some more. Played even more. I remember the luau. I remember the random beach trips. I remember the late night phone calls and the texts that read: "MK for fireworks and Epcot after?" I remember dropping everything to be there, to just be in the moment. Time of my life.

Fall of 2008, living at Rosen. Adjusting to life away from everything I had known at Main Campus. Enjoying being an hour closer to home. Loving every minute of switching school work with play time at Disney. The joys of being a Disney cast member--my grades started to slip and my mind was exhausted from the ups and downs of Thunder Mountain and the twists and turns of the swirling, twirling tea cups. I made more choices; choices I still won't allow myself to regret. Why? Because it was the time of my life.

Spring of 2009, I knew I needed to move. I couldn't stay at Rosen because Rosen wasn't good for me. I stuck it out through the spring and summer. I remember weekend getaway trips to St. Augustine. I remember jumping off of castle walls. I remember the discovery of my love for writing. I remember changing my mind over and over again, because the life I wanted wasn't realistic--who could be a writer and survive in this world? Not I. I may as well surrender and go to school for teaching or even journalism; something much more realistic. Something stable. I was uncertain. I didn't know what I wanted. I turned to Mickey Mouse instead. Time of my life.

Summer of 2009, I took classes. I dabbled in Hospitality Management and thought that it would suffice. I figured working for a company like Disney would be an honor. I remember the phone call from a friend; he knew of someone who worked for the Disney Channel in California and thought he could make a lunch arrangement for me. In a matter of days, I had a flight to California with no idea how I would get around, where I would stay or what I would do. I was alone. I flew out with a girl I barely knew to a city I had never been and flew back with a best friend from a city I knew I was destined to live in. I made changes. I readjusted my life accordingly. I began to believe in myself. Time of my life.

Fall of 2009, I moved back to Main Campus and moved in with my brother. Ups and downs, like any siblings' relationships would be. I found myself back in California, yet again, only to re-affirm the fact that I would eventually be a West Coast girl. I wrote. I wrote, and wrote, and wrote some more. I stood up for myself. I wouldn't let them defeat me. Their comments of, "What in the world will you do with an English degree?" and "Well, how do you plan to make that work?" wouldn't defer me. I had my path in my head and I wasn't going to veer off now. Time of my life.

Spring of 2010, I felt strong. I built that girl: the one who believed in herself without a doubt in her mind. I continued to write; I applied for jobs I barely qualified for. I took classes I knew I would enjoy, that just so happened to apply to a creative writing major. I pushed myself to do my absolute best, and that I did. I had my first "house" party and invited my closest friends. We played games and watched movies; I felt like a real adult. I got my heart broken for the very first time. Time of my life.

Summer of 2010, I lived alone. My brother moved back to Tampa and I was a bit devastated, but I didn't let anyone know. I was in and out, still working for a rodent but doing my work for school simultaneously. I was burnt out--tired. My advisor informed me I'd be eligible for graduation in the fall. FALL?! I wasn't supposed to graduate until Spring. I thought it over for a few days, talked to the parents. We were a go. I filled out my intent to graduate and I waited. Time of my life.

Fall of 2010.

This semester has been a series of ups and downs, back and forths. I "haven't known what I want", but while thinking it over (after reminiscing for the last twenty minutes) I think I know. I think I know that I'm scared. I'm terrified. This is it; my last semester as a "college kid". Tomorrow I become a "college graduate". Kid and graduate are not synonyms, for you non-English majors. I might not know exactly what I want (blinded by fear, I suppose), but I know what I love.

I don't regret anything, and I guess in part I'm writing this because you shouldn't either. I've made choices that may have been the wrong ones in the past, but they've all led me to where I am today. I healed that broken heart from the spring. I met someone new, in fact...a couple people, actually. I've made best friends, I've grown apart from best friends, I've made enemies.

Bottom line is: I've made choices for myself. Making choices for yourself is the most important thing you could ever do, even if they are the wrong ones. Make them anyway! Live a little!

Don't blink. These moments are gone in an instant. Promise.

xo

- SM