I am now finished with the second day of classes of my last semester as an undergraduate at The University of Scranton.

Scary though--one that will definitely take some getting used to.

I had a similar feeling at the beginning of last semester, but it is nothing like the ton of bricks that I'm attempting to recover from. I've talked about this a little bit before, and, undoubtedly, I feel like I am ready to face the waiting world. Still, that feeling of no longer having school to somehow protect me from the hard world is...well, I don't yet have a word for it. I'm not afraid that I'll fail; I know that I won't. It's almost like Linus giving up his blankie. Of course, he can live without it perfectly fine (and probably more healthily), but if he could, he would choose to hold onto it as long as he could. That might not be the best explanation, but take from it what you will.

With that in mind, I'm ready to face this last semester with all the pomp and circumstance that it deserves. I'm looking back on my years here at Scranton with some of the best memories of my entire life--some of them have happened here, and some of them have just happened to coincide with my being here. More than anything, though, I think about how I've grown as a person. The University has taught me to question the world around me in an attempt to make it better. With the words of St. Ignatius in mind, I've already begun to rub a few sticks together; I've even started a few puny fires here and there.

More and more, I am thinking about this as more of a commencement and less of a conclusion. I have so many opportunities in front of me. (As cliché as that sounds, I really do.) To a certain extent, I almost don't know what to do with myself. I'm looking to continue the work that I've started here at The U by working for others, to somehow strive to increase the quality of life for the general population one way or another. I have my heart set on going to grad school for school counseling (and I will peruse that), but I'm a go with the flow type of person. I'll tackle the perils, the promise, and the opportunities as the world presents them to me.

I go into the world with extensive theory, hands-on experience, wonderful memories, lifelong friends, and an overwhelming sense of responsibility to leave this world just a bit better than I found it.