Briefly Reflecting on Graduate School

The past three years have certainly NOT flown by.

Grad school was hard: emotionally, mentally, and yes, probably physically (since, as it turns out, I’ve gained quite a bit of weight since moving to California).  Academically, it was manageable.  But I’ve never felt more challenged to stay focused and true to who I am and what I want out of life.  As a result, I feel like I’ve never been more certain on what it is that I want, and perhaps more importantly, what I don’t want.

Over the past three years I’ve learned what I truly value and what matters above everything else.  Graduate school forced me to accept who I am and to be okay with that instead of ashamed. I definitely felt like an outsider for most of my time there.  Imposter syndrome was a real thing I experienced, especially in the beginning.  But even as I overcame that obstacle, there was a clear difference that I could see between myself and those around me.

Looking back I’m glad I had this experience.  But I am so beyond ready to move on to bigger and better things.  I’m not an extremely religious person but the one Bible verse that has been echoing through my mind this month is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

I plan on going more in-depth on the challenges of graduate school soon, but for now, I’m allowing myself to bask in the glow of being finished and knowing that brighter things are ahead.  If you are graduating this year, whether it’s from high school, college, graduate school, etc., congratulations and may your best years be ahead of you!

xo Carly