Wrapping Up...

Well, it is now January 2016, and I am set to graduate from college in May. Of course, when I first started doesn't seem so long ago. Things have changed so much from when I started, and I am glad for it. I still don't completely know what it is I will do when I leave, but I have the peace of knowing that things will work out. I have so many opportunities, even despite the daunting job situation in which every employer requires at least 2-3 years of experience in addition to a degree. These past four years have given me experience working behind a desk, tutoring writing and ESL, volunteering in education, speaking publicly, and work-shopping my writing. I've gained practical experience living and working in a non-English-speaking country, at least for a short time. These things have prepared me.

I feel like my horizons have broadened so much. I have worked extremely hard over these four years. If there is one thing college has taught me, it is knowing how to say no to people (and instead stay in and study). I have not made one B yet (fingers crossed), but even if I just pass with C's this coming semester, I will still have a good enough average to graduate with Summa Cum Laude. So, I can maybe let my hair down a little bit this time around.

What will I do after May? This is something I'm wondering myself. I do know that I want to continue my education, but  I think I need a break for 1-2 years. And by break, I don't mean taking a rich kid gap year. I mean a break to work (and potentially do a little more school in a different field.) I just finished a difficult (high fail rate) Spanish translation course this semester, and the professor recommended the graduate certificate program for it. This would probably take a year. It would be graduate classes in Spanish, but it would not be thesis-track. It's something I would be interested in pursuing because I love the Spanish language, and having this certificate, while not essential, would help me gain more opportunities if I wanted to do work in translation. The classes are all at night, so that would also give me the freedom to have a job during the day.

For more short term plans,  I am looking at an internship with StoryCorps. StoryCorps is a large-scale oral history project. This organization interviews people from a variety of backgrounds, and records their stories. I'd very much like intern with them.

And of course, I'm looking to do some travelling. I'm not sure if I'd be able to afford any out of the country trips right now, though. However, I am looking into a 2016-2017 Fulbright program in Madrid, Spain. This would cover a 9-month period, and I would be teaching English. I'd also like to walk the Camino de Santiago while I'm there, which would add another couple of months. Of course, all this is just tentative, so I can't form any solid plans.

Anyway, next week is when my last semester officially starts, and I have a lot of things I have yet to do, but by telling all this to Blogger, I am helping hold myself accountable for what needs to be done! Any prayers or positive thoughts/vibes would be much appreciated.

Also, more exciting news: I will be seeing The Cure when the come into Atlanta in June!