I'm officially smart now

I can't believe it. It's done. Finished. Fini. Beendet. Three and a half years of work finally completed. No more homework, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks. I finished my last test, my last paper, my last chapter to read, my last project to do. I can hardly believe it.

Wednesday I took my final final. At first, it seemed like nothing changed. I first of course felt a sense of relief. A weight off my shoulders. It wasn't until the coming days I would really feel it kick it.

I went to Chicago for Memorial Day weekend the next day to celebrate with some friends. On BART going to the airport, I listened to my iPod. I just sat there listening to it. I wasn't reading a textbook, I wasn't studying for a test, I wasn't working on homework or thinking of what was due next. I just sat there listening to my iPod. It was delightful.

Some friends of mine want to go to a movie on Thursday. As soon as I found out, I thought to myself, What am I doing on Thursday? Do I have class? Do I have homework to finish? Do I have to study? No! I ain't got none of that!

Then part of me as been reflective. I'm very glad with my course of study. When I first started, I knew I just wanted to finish my degree. After finishing up the basics, I started a course of action of where I wanted to focus my degree. I already work in the industry, so I focused a lot of my study on the management side of information systems. So I took management classes, finance, operations, that kind of thing. I've been very happy with where I've gone.

Then I think of what I gave up. In three and a half years, not only I gave up a lot of my time (and money!), there were people I didn't date, projects never started, interests never fulfilled. I mixed a CD a couple weeks ago, and I remember how I used to just love doing that. I've started to have "normal" thoughts about doing stuff like getting a new kitchen table, or doing some remodeling, or doing some work on my bike (instead of just using it for utilitarian purposes!). For the longest time, they weren't "normal", because I never even gave them a thought.

So what's next? Nothing. I've thought about switching jobs or focusing on other things. But honestly I've been so busy finishing my degree I haven't even had a lot of time to think about it. So I'm gonna just enjoy this summer, do a bit of travelling, get caught up on some of those interests of mine, and give it some thought. Maybe after that I'll take the plunge. But it's time right now to just rest on the laurels for a little bit. :-)