thoughts on graduating early

it’s less than 2 weeks before I gradate. It’s crazy that my formal academic career could possibly be entirely over (unless I decide to go to grad school but that’s another post). People also might think I’m crazy for graduating a semester early and not dragging out supposedly “the best time of your life.” so I’m here to write why I decided to graduate early - not to persuade you that I’m not crazy but more so to ease my nerves :p.

the main, objective reason is that I finished all the required credits for a major and a minor – done only because I took summer school J. Yep, I’m a nerd in the fall, spring, and summer, a year-round nerd!

i also find that my only reason for staying in school in the spring is fear. Fear of a new phase, of new people, and of a new lifestyle. And this makes me really sit down and think. is fear itself a good enough reason to stay an extra semester? Am I being a good steward of my parent’s money by spending money on another semester of tuition? is college really the only time in your life where life is great? if so, that’s depressing to know.

I see my friends who are currently in the working-world and it doesn’t seem too terrible. Yeah, work isn’t 24/7 fun and games, but it’s not like they’ve changed as a person. They’re not defined by if they’re a student or an employee – they’re still the same person. I’m not sure how this is relevant but somehow seeing how my friends are still the same after graduating is comforting to me.

BUT, I do have one regret from college… which is not marrying vince young in order to tie him down and make him settle at UT and thus we would have had a better football season this year. and just to clarify, this is not a completely selfish regret because a college degree for him is always useful.