On Aug. 22, I experienced my very last first day of school.
God willing, I will be graduating at the end of this academic year and I will be off to bigger and better things than what good old Erie has to offer me.
As someone who has had the bright idea to do a big move after graduation, I am absolutely terrified.
I am not exactly from a small town. Having grown up just outside of Pittsburgh, I understand the general feel of big city life.
I also knew coming into college as a journalism major that I would most likely have to move to a big city after completing my degree.
What I did not exactly expect was the overwhelming feeling of uncertainty.
Anyone who knows me would know that I like to plan. If I had it my way, I would know exactly what I am doing for the rest of my life down to the hour.
What I have realized through my 21 years on this planet is that things cannot always work that way.
I feel as though I am in the minority. I have no real plans for after graduation as of yet.
When I talk to my friends on campus, they all seem to know exactly what they want to do. After all, most of them will be graduating within the next year or two.
I, on the other hand, have no clue as to what my future holds.
It may sound dramatic, but it is something I have to think about every single day.
I am supposed to begin looking into possible jobs that I would like to do, but this is extremely difficult when I do not yet know where I would like to be living.
Many people have told me that I should look into moving back to Pittsburgh. This option would mean that I would be close to family and friends.
While the idea of moving back home feels nice, there is also a part of me that wants to experience life on my own.
There is something exciting about the thought of moving somewhere far away and beginning a career away from my family.
In a way, it almost feels like that would be how I would prove myself to everyone who told me I would not be able to succeed in college.
On the other hand, thinking about having a future so far away from the people that I love and care about is also extremely frightening.
The future is already scary enough. I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it would be to keep my cool in a whole new environment without my support system.
So during my senior year here at Gannon University, I have a lot of things to think about regarding my future.
Luckily, I still have enough time here with the many resources that Gannon has to offer in order for me to get on track with my post-graduation life.
I may feel extremely overwhelmed right now, but it is important to remember that I still have a few months to talk to my peers and professors in order to feel a little better about what exactly it is I plan to do with the rest of my life.
I find it difficult not knowing exactly where I will be at this time next year. I do not like that I cannot begin planning the rest of my life yet.
I think it is important for me to understand that it is OK to not know everything sometimes.
HARLEE BOEHM
