graduation is just the beginning

I'm so sad this weekend is over. I had a great time in Marquette, MI with my family for my little sisters graduation from Northern Michigan University .

Go little sister! (she was at the end because she will be paid the least)

It. Was. Freezing.  My fingers are so cold typing this the iPad isn't always picking up on the letters... So cold. I throughly embarrassed my inner minnesotaian and sister by wearing snow pants for part of the trip.

Mom played word games until it was Corinne's turn.

Saturday morning, still frozen, I attended the graduation ceremony were we waited patiently for 888 people to graduate.  There were several speakers, most of them saying the same thing... If I could give the 22 year old me three words of advice.... Commencement is only the beginning.... And my personal favorite; don't forget to donate! We will help you network and find the perfect job... Blah blah blah. We've heard them all... And I promised my mom and dad they would never have to sit through another one for me.

As my sister put it... "We'll that was anti-climatic." All I can think of is looking back on my education and thinking of all the awesome moments.

Getting the perfect transitional sentence in your research paper
teamwork all nighters to earn the a
the (almost) instant gratification of writing a killer paper
recording your lessons to see you've finally broke your odd behavior (starting all sentences with sooo, like).
Fitting in classes, skiing and studying for four years to achieve cum laude

All major accomplishments that happen daily in a college students life... Sleep vs. studying vs. social life.  It's a lesson in balance and determination.

All cumulated with 10 seconds of walking across the stage,  you get a piece of paper... For $50,000+ that's one expensive paper.  Now it's time for the real struggle- entering the real world, mid-20's were to get a job you need experience, and to get experience you need a job. Even with one full year of student teaching and countless internships (not to mention my current issue of also having 2 years of experience).

Are we doing college all wrong, sending young adults to strange small towns to study and become an expert in something? Should we be sending student to study extensively with a master social worker, CPA, teacher or doctor? In a world that is always changing, where many jobs I am preparing my students for do not exist yet, is the system we prepare college level students dated?

Getting coffee with a former awesome professor

So. If I could give any advice to college students- graduated and not, enjoy the journey and process. At the end, you're not special, you along with 373847 million kids your age just graduated with the same degree, some with honors, some not.  What makes you employable is you... Get experience at the bottom, always go above and beyond.

Because in this workforce there are 100's of applicants for one position...

And if you have a position I hope you love it and are changing the world.  Doing your very best, going above and beyond with enthusiasm and passion.

There are 100s of us who would die for your position.

and then we cleaned 2 years of ick out of my sisters house...

Me graduating in 2011 hugging Dr. Anderson from WSCU

trail mix.

Let's talk about how I just ran 3.5 miles in 42 min... This run AWFUL. Everywhere hurt! Aside from the obvious pain from kicking some serious 9th grade butt in the calf raise competition yesterday. There was PAIN.

Hold on, the explanation is a lot longer than you think.

I got stressed today.

I went shopping, I needed something to take the edge off, somewhere were I could find something and make my world a little bit of a better place. A place called... The Container Store.  How can you be unhappy when organization is involved? It very quickly became a closet organizing trip, shoe organizers and sweater storage)

Still wondering about that run... getting there, promise.

Next stop was LOFT- have you ever gone into a store intending to return the suit jacket in your car with receipt... without the jacket and receipt? That was me today. Don't worry- it will all be returned. Maybe.

LOFT is right next store to The Fresh Market and I was craving a Synergy (ya know, that fermented kombucha tea everyone brewed in college). So I got bought one... and a little container of the sweet and spicy trail mix. This stuff is incredible  I used to get it all the time at wally world (wal mart) it's the great value cajun mix.  I ate the entire thing on my 30 min drive home.

It was like a brick in the pit of my stomach.  My heart rate monitor was strangling me. I told myself if it was really bad at 15 min I could turn around, but I didn't I kept going hoping I'd feel better and the running would help me digest. Yeah- that didn't happen.  I had heart burn- I never have heart burn!

Three miles and towards the end of my jog I wondered how I did 23.2 more of those- in one day? Running Grandma's in 2012 didn't hurt this much. How did I do the 5,6, 20 mile runs to train for this? I don't know- you do it... and the race (though horrible) was a exciting experience.  Yep- I walked, a lot, it hurts more than running at that point. Running the 26.2 miles are the easy part, it's the 100's of training miles that are horrible.

I've had this thought a lot since high school (and a little bit in college) when I was a "serious athlete." Standing on the podium, skiing the race... thats the easy part. It's getting up at 5:30 (IN COLLEGE), running for hours after your school day... It wasn't work then, but now it is. I wish I could give purpose to my physical activity again.

The run sucked and I'm still frustrated, but my shoes, sweaters and ski clothes are organized.

Serious Athlete= exercising, with a purpose and plan most days of the week. possibly twice a day.

In other news: #tbt that time I thought it was a good idea to run a marathon. without training.

Marathon Team of Awesomeness! Grandma's-Duluth, MN 2012
I know super nerdy.

This is what you do after running 26.2