A New Chapter

This weekend was certainly an eye opener for me. I graduated college in May, but I think mentally I finally graduated and started a new chapter in my life over this past weekend. Sure, I went through the ritualistic parties and celebrations a few months ago, even went on a celebratory road trip, but it didn’t really set in until I finally let go of all things “college.”

I have been working at Ruth’s Chris Steak House since I graduated from high school in 2005. It helped me pay all of my “bills” in college—ie. Going to the bars and buying cute new outfits, and maybe the occasional BGE or Car Insurance payment. Well this weekend, I worked my last day at Ruth’s Chris, my security blanket job that I finally let go. It was a bitter sweet experience, I hated working there, but somehow it was comforting to know I had a backup plan. On a whim a few weeks ago, I gave my notice. Maybe I should have done it a while ago, anyone who knows me knows how much that place needed to go, but still it was easy, so I stayed.

As I said goodbye to my best friend, who is now in Denmark for Grad School, I also “worked” my last day in the restaurant industry. When I say worked, I mean I showed up and the schedule was messed up so subsequently I spent $9.00 in tolls and parking fees to turn around and go home, typical.

So now I find myself away from everything I associated with college. My best friend has moved onto bigger things, I let go of my job that was always my safety net, I moved away from Towson, and my boyfriend is coming home! Since Matt and I started dating he has been living in LA, and now he will be in MD with me, so that- combined with the rest of my epiphany that I am no longer a child- has really made me realize I am in the real world. It’s so strange to hear people talk about going back to school next week. I have caught myself, on several occasions, about to jump into a conversation that is now a mute point in my life.

I’m waiting to start missing college, but for now, I’m happy with how things are going, and hopefully all these new things will start to become routine.