The end is near, and so is a beginning

"What are you going to do after you graduate this year?"
I haven't even began my senior year at Longwood yet and I am already finding myself answering this question what feels like three times a day or more. Honestly who knew I could have so many different answers to the same question? It seems that every time an answer leaves my mouth there is something different about it when compared the last time I answered. There however is one thing that never changes. That being this feeling I get in my heart when I think about graduating and moving on with my life after Longwood. I have never in my life been so set on one thing and that my friends is my decision to spend my summer at home next year, and then take a leap of faith and move away from home.
This past year has been a very difficult one for me, from questioning self worth, to struggling academically, to loosing one of the most important people in my life and let me tell you it has been suffocating. About three or so months ago the words "I'm moving out of Virginia" came out of my mouth for the very first time, and they were the most comforting five words I have ever said. This was the first time I felt okay with my future. Virginia suffocates me, in both good and bad ways. I am challenged to be a better person everyday yet I also don't feel like myself anymore. I am a Virginian. I will always belong in Virginia Beach. 757 will always mean something special to me, but what I look forward to the most in life in this moment is leaving the 757. Leaving and beginning my life somewhere else and finding my definition of life.
I look at the challenges that come with preparing for something such as picking up and beginning all over again and they terrify me. They terrify me in ways that make me want to curl up in a ball and cry, but they also terrify me in ways that motivate me to follow through with this. So next time you see me, ask me again, ask me what I will be doing after graduation. I'm not afraid to answer anymore. I've recognized what is best for me, and while it may end up being the worst decision of my life, I will never know that if I don't follow my heart at first. I have never been so ready to begin a school year as I am right now. I'm not wishing my life away, believe me, recently I have learned to cherish everyday I have but I am ready for this. I am ready to get this year started, to spend it with my closest friends and begin my life after graduation. It's taken a lot for me to fess up and say what I want to do after graduation, but in the end that's all that matters, what I want to do. I believe that this is what is next on my path, this is what warms my heart to think about.
So let me leave you with one question, what is next on your path? Have you discovered it yet? If not it's okay, it'll come to you one day when you're least expecting it. My answer did. Believe me that you will know it is your answer, it will touch your heart in a way that it will make your brain scream this is it, this is next, you can do it. I hope that if you have yet to discover it, that when you do you are as happy and content as I am. And hey, you should share it with me, I'd love to hear where you're off to.

"Oh the places you'll go."