One Chapter Ends, Another Begins

Long time, No Posts Guys!!

I know, I know, that's my fault, BUT ya girl had to graduate! Yup, that's where/what I've been doing, what have YOU been doing? lol

In commemoration of the said event, I thought it would be appropriate to just talk to you guys about my personal journey of advanced education as well as share some exclusive graduations photos with you. Let's get into it.

Just to get it out the way now, I had been in school for six years, yes, six years. I say that with zero shame. In the past, I might have not even told you guys that, but now being a little older and wiser I'm realizing a lot of people in the world for one reason or another are not able to receive an education on a university level let alone say they have graduated, so for that I am grateful and incredibly blessed.

I entered Radford University in 2011. Radford is a relatively smaller school nestled in the mountains of NorthWest Virginia. Its a school known for its nature encompassed setting and outdoor activities. Throughout its history, the school has gained recognition for its all-girl past as well as its nursing program. Nursing. Nursing was exactly what I thought was in my future and why I chose to attend this university. Since I was a child I always knew I was going to be in the medical field. HA! That changed fairly quickly during my first year. Not to drag this out but nursing was not for me, I followed my interests and it led me to fashion merchandising.

To be clear (because I usually have to be), merchandising does not make me a designer. So PLEASE do not ask me to make you a single article of clothing. I will kindly decline and send you to the nearest mall or to Persona Custom Clothiers (family plug; check them out 😉).

In a nutshell, merchandising is the creative business force that gets you to buy. I say creative because we are the stylists (sometimes), buyers, trend forecasters, and overall brains of the operation; we could even say the behind the scenes folks that keep you interested. Get it? Good.

The beginning year of transitioning from nursing to fashion courses was the year that I had to take a year off. Like a lot of people, coming from a single family home can be hard because financial resources cannot all be funded singularly. I have two other siblings that are close in age and we all happen to be in college during the same year, that's hard on a two-parent household so think about a mother trying to do it all on her own (bless her, because she really did try). I also wasn't helping my own situation when I had a little to much fun my freshman year (academic probation) and got most of my financial funding taken away (grants, scholarships, government-funded loans; all of dat!).... we're being transparent here right?! I'm keeping it a hunnid with ya'll. So after that stunt, I had to take the responsibility and take a year off from school to get my life in order. Like post-graduation, a year off can feel like a grey, limbo space. I honestly didn't know what I was going to do or whether I was going to go back to school. 

A year of just working retail and making my own money I could see how it's so easy for some people to get used to that aspect of life; who doesn't like making money. But for me, I knew that wasn't going to be my end all be all destiny. With the support and encouragement from friends and family, I applied back to Radford. 

Getting back into the groove of school wasn't that hard for me but it was dealing with the fact that most of my friends I started my journey with were leaving that year or the next year to come. I felt behind in life. I knew they were going to graduate and begin the next chapter of their lives and I was still going to be in school. It's a weird feeling, not jealousy because of course, I'm proud and happy for my friends and I knew I would be in that same position eventually. 

***Writing this I'm having a self-reflection moment that what I was feeling was that of a young woman/young adult still feeling stuck in a realm of adolescence that I was past. I mean this not in an elementary standpoint but in that, I have grown, become a little wiser in my ways and the normality of college society just wasn't for me anymore. I'd rather just stay home and catch up on sleep than anything else. Lol. You never realize how amazing sleep and just chilling is until you feel like you don't get enough of it. That doesn't mean ya girl still doesn't like to go out and have a lit-uated time, just in more moderation than my freshman/sophomore days.***

 What I took from that emotional feeling at that time was this new ability to letting go. As well as knowing I found and built new relationships that are dear to my heart. Also, after a hell of a lot of self-reflection and now being 25 I'm realizing there was absolutely NO way at the age of 22 I was ready to graduate from college. This is me being completely honest. For me personally, there was so no way I was ready to be out in the world. There was so much I didn't know as well as experiences I still hadn't had. 

When it's all said and done, my college journey was just that. Mine. My graduation clock, life pace, etc. is miraculously and strategically planned for myself only. Some doors weren't made for me to open while others were easily accessible. As I'm writing this last paragraph you guys wouldn't even believe the opportunities that just presented itself to me. I cant either, but I know I'm going to embrace them, give them all I've got and never look back. Realizing that all of these struggles and adversities were getting me prepared for what's next... I CAN'T WAIT.

If you made it this far in my post I want to express how amazing you are and how much I truly love and appreciate your support. Since I'm done with this school this blog is really like my own personal homework that I assign to myself. Its training me the skill of self discipline and motivation, so knowing that there are people out there that actually read and care about what I'm talking about keeps me going. Even though the thought that people are reading what I'm writing is still very mortifying.