I've been inspired by many people throughout my college career. I've listened closely and well to all my professors, T.A.s and friends I've met along the way. I rarely skipped class and never failed a class. I always turned in my work and never got less than a B- on assignments. I'm very proud of myself and I have every right to be. Four years have flown by and it was just yesterday I remember drinking under age in my Freshman dorm and throwing themed parties in my apartment. I could go on, but I want to concentrate on the adventures that lie ahead of me.
Although I reluctantly took a Grad School Preparation course during my last quarter at UCI, I am glad I did. I was surrounded by other students like me. To put it plain and simple many underrepresented and the first to attend college in their family. Today, people shared what they learned from the class. At first, I felt like I was in the same place that I had been when I entered the class at the beginning of the quarter. I was confused and uncertain about what I wanted to do, but after listening to what the other students had to say and hearing some encouraging words of advice from the instructors, I realized for the first time in my life that I will go to graduate school.
It was a moment of epiphany. When Professor Maestas mentioned his story about how he got to to graduate school, he also made us consider the benefits of having a graduate degree that far outweigh having a bachelors degree alone. Among these benefits were obvious ones like: longer lasting marriages, better health, overall job satisfaction, ability to travel leisurely, etc. This is when I began to imagine my life within the next 10 years. I often visualize my desired outcomes, long before I even begin working on those goals. I know that in the next 10 years, I want to be healthy and happy. I still want to travel and live young. I know for sure that I don't see any children of my own until I've found complete happiness within myself.
Life is not short, but long enough to do things you love and find even more things and people to love. I know that I want to attend graduate school, it's just that I have too many interests to explore at the moment. If I apply to graduate school now, I am certain that I will regret it later. I want to experience the world through work, art, food, and meeting new people. I am determined to carefully plan my future and plan it right. Even though I will be graduating next Friday, that doesn't mean I'm done with school. I am currently looking into classes I can take for fun at local community colleges, which include painting, Vietnamese, Asian-American, Chicano, and African-American Studies. These are basically classes that I didn't get the chance to take while at UCI. I am very excited to enjoy taking these classes and learn more about our world!
I know that graduate school is in my future, but its just a matter of when or where I'll be when I decide to go back. For now, I'm going to do the things I love and expose myself to the amazing and plentiful resources available in Southern California.
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