Spring 2021
If you are new here, three or four times a year I post a reflection piece, usually after a semester of college or at the end of the year. These posts seek to look back at the last three or four months, reminisce, see what I did well or where I failed, and then look towards the future with goals for the next trimester of the year. This post reviews the beginning of 2021 to my graduation from Gonzaga University in May.
May 18, 2021
I’ve been writing these reflections now for just about two years now, ever since the summer of 2019, and I have to say that these last few months were some of the crazier ones. Not because of what I did, but rather the transition that took place. I went from an intense quarantine to traveling all over the pacific northwest, from college student to college graduate, and even released a book. Definitely different than last year, that’s for sure.
Let’s start with college. I’ll be honest, zoom university was a joke. I don’t think I did more than 40 hours of work the entire semester, and not hard work at that. I spent most of my time either on my extra-curriculars, such as my time as VP of Member engagement for my Business Fraternity and as President of the Net Impact club on campus and hanging with friends. That being said, I am still proud to say I graduated Cum Laude with a Political Science Degree as well as minors in Italian Studies and Hogan Entrepreneurship.
I got to travel again, which was crazy. Due to covid, people stopped taking big trips and opted for more safe visits to cabins and Airbnb’s with people within their bubble, which was more than ok with me. I like that vibe so much more than the party scene, though I do still miss traveling across country and internationally. Hopefully, this summer things become safe enough. Regardless, I was able to take several trips this semester with some awesome people, including trips to Glacier National Park, Idaho (I forget the name of the town, it was like 11 people), and Mazama, Washington.
When I wasn’t with friends or doing schoolwork, I was putting the finishing touches on my first full-length novel, Friday in Florence. I’ve never been prouder of myself than I was when I released FiF, and I swear I walked around with the biggest smile on my face due to the reaction my friends and family gave me. I had people I had maybe said five sentences to all of college coming up to me in the bar or messaging me on Instagram complimenting me on the accomplishment, and each one made my week. It just passed a month since its release, and I am still on cloud nine. Thanks everyone, really, it has meant the world.
Now, however, I have to face the real world. No more house parties or late nights with the roommate. No more frantically finishing papers before the deadline or running into friends at the bar. I took my last walk through campus a few days ago (it was raining of course) and then left. I don’t know when or even if I will ever be back.
Yes, it’s sad. My allergies were definitely acting up those last few weeks, but as I look back I think I came out of college with everything I could have hoped for. I found an incredible group of people I know I will be proud to call my friends for the rest of my life. I took classes that challenged me, got to travel the world, and ultimately grew into a person that Freshman me would be proud of. While it could have been so much more; potential squandered by the global pandemic, I feel blessed to come out of it with the lessons and people that I did.
Now, for the first time in my life, I don’t have a concrete plan. There have always been another four years of school on the horizon, now I am not so sure. Yes, I have a direction in that I am hoping to go to law school after a gap year, but if we have learned anything from Covid it’s that a lot can change in a year. The rest of my life, however it may change, is completely up to me.
This sentence scares the shit out of me. But it is also incredibly freeing. I have nothing else to wait for, no obligations needed to finish. My life is completely my own, for better or for worse, and I can make it what I am able to. I am excited to see what I do.
See you in a couple of months,
Matthew