Where on Earth...

...have I been!?!?

Well, as any college student knows, the last two weeks of the semester are always the most brutal. On top of all that, I have been trying to make sure everything is in order for me to GRADUATE! As of now, as long as I pass my classes this semester, I am all set.

I am in disbelief. I finally made it.

So, tonight was my final final (weird!), and I had a presentation as well. All I have left between me and college grad status is my research paper with my research group for psychology. We have been doing draft after draft after draft, and I think by tomorrow it will be complete!

So, I have realized lately just how truly amazing my friends are. I started out this semester totally nervous and unsure about what would happen. Most of my close friends had already graduated. My roommates were totally random. I thought I would just do my work, get it over with, and be ready to move on.

But now? Well, my roommates and some of the other people I've met this semester are some of the most positive influences in my life right now. They are level-headed, intelligent, caring, and fun. They listen when I need them to, and make me laugh when I need them to, and truly care about me.

I really got to see how much they truly care this past weekend. On Friday night, my roommate Kelly told me to take a shower and dress nice because we were going to her Rugby team's annual Holiday Party at a local restaurant. So, I got myself dolled up and a few of us hopped in the car. When we got to the restaurant, we walked into the back room, and all of a sudden I see my parents, my best friend Brooke from home, and about 20 of my college friends waiting for me.

"SURPRISE!!!" they all yelled.

I couldn't believe it. Kelly organized the entire thing. It was a surprise graduation party, complete with a sheet cake, gifts, and cards. And my parents and best friend were in on it! It was amazing. I have never ever in my life had a surprise party before, so it was awesome.

the whole crew

roomies <3

Tonight, my roommates and a few of our close friends (all of whom I met this semester but feel incredibly close and connected to) exchanged Christmas gifts. Kelly gave me Clarissa Explains It All Season 1 on DVD (please tell me I'm not the only one who used to LOVE this show growing up!), and then she made me a scrapbook of photos of this semester, from the beginning of the year, to Halloween, to now. It had inspiring quotes and stickers and was just amazing. I cried.

Now, as I am gearing up to leave Susquehanna University for the last time as an enrolled undergraduate student, I am terrified. Nostalgic. Sad. Uncertain. Proud. Relieved. Anxious. Excited. So many emotions, both positive and negative, are flowing through me right now and I don't even know how to begin to process them.

All I know is this: things are going to change. My life is about to change in an incredibly substantial way, and my future is a blank page. But, I know that it will be ok. It's going to work out. And I know for a fact that the friendships I've built this semester will last, because these people truly care about me and I truly care about them. It's going to be difficult not waking up and walking into the kitchen to sip coffee together and rehash our crazy shenanigans, or to walk to class together in the pouring rain, or to randomly decide to down a bottle of wine on a Tuesday night and color pictures of Disney Princesses to tape all over the walls (yes, that really happened).

But even though I'll be farther away doesn't mean I can't visit. And you know what? I'm 22 years old. It's time for change. It's time for real life to begin. I might not be 100% ready, but I am willing to try. I am going to make the best of each and every day.

Look out world, here comes Coco!