Exactly where I'm supposed to be...

So I've officially been a graduate student for three weeks now. And I have to say...I love it.

I'll be honest here, after my first class I had a moment of panic. Was I really ready to be back in the classroom? Was I prepared? Could I keep up with the enormous reading assignments? Luckily, I was able to take a step back, check my self-confidence and realize this is exactly where I'm supposed to be...

I've had some great, and some not so great, experiences over the past few years as I've ventured through my 'quarter life crisis'. I walked away from law school one week before orientation back in 2007 and since then I've been on a search to find myself and figure out what I really want in life. I've had a lot of highs and lows, from working at a shelter where I was seriously almost killed by an overweight twelve year old, to realizing a life long dream and visiting remote villages in Eastern Uganda. (An experience so beautiful and profound that I could never possibly describe it in words.)

I have to say that I don't believe my 'quarter life crisis' is over. I don't think it ever will be actually, and strangely enough that makes me happy. It isn't a crisis at all, but a blessing. While I do want direction and clearly defined goals, (which I finally have now) I don't ever want to stop questioning life. I want to always be in tune with soul and very aware of myself. I want to grow and know more than I knew yesterday. I want to live with pure, uninhibited emotions. I want my life to be an adventure.

It's been a roller coaster, but it was all meant to be. I'm so grateful to be where I am today. Graduate school has been amazing so far and I can't wait to see what happens in the future. I'm learning about things I'm so passionate about: human rights, international relations, social justice, Middle East politics, economic development, etc etc.

I dream of being a professor and inspiring students to not only be passionate about these same issues, but also be moved to act and create waves of positive change for future generations. What a beautiful thing that would be.

Back to School??

Ok, so I'm starting school next week.

Graduate school. Full time.

I technically started about a year ago, but only took one class and decided I wasn't quite ready to make the commitment. Sometimes I do that...

BUT I'm ready now and the big day is almost here. I start next Monday! Holy cow. I'm working on my masters in international relations and honestly, I'm pretty jazzed about it. I actually love school, but ever since my almost fatal run in with law school I'm just a little cautious.

So I'm starting to mentally prep myself for going back to school. I'm trying to get myself back in the groove, but I've forgotten what exactly the groove is. It's been three years since undergrad, and yes I know that isn't much in the grand scheme of things, but to me it's an eternity. I'm also working on my social skills, preparing to meet new and possibly strange people. That's always fun.

Anyone ever notice how college students tend to be...grungy? Like they haven't seen a shower in a week and you can forget about the toothbrush, or the washing machine for that matter. I don't know, maybe that's just my experience, but I'm hoping graduate school is different. Surely, these are adults here, there can't possibly be any grunge left at this point. Right?

I guess we'll see!