It has seemed for months like there are many major changes just over the horizon, but all a sudden all those changes are right here, no more horizon to wait for. As of writing this I’m moving into my dorm in 4 days, just finished my last day of work yesterday, and having our big celebration today.
I find myself breathing heavily throughout the day, I was never nervous for the transition until recently, but most of me is plenty excited. There have been few transitions for me in the last few years: Graduating highschool, getting my first job. Mostly I live in a routine of staying at home watching TV, playing games, reading, whatever it is I want to do, until I have to go to work. That’s just what I did. That routine isn’t an important part of my identity, but it’s what I’ve become used to. The shift from living at home having much of my time to myself, and moving away for the first time, starting school, and that next level of independence is a big one. I’ve already said I’m excited for it, independence is an important thing to me, but it is, again, a major transition. Not just for me, but for the millions of other people who move away from their family for the first time. I would guess that is one of the most impactful transitions in anyones life.
Having my last day at work was strange. I didn’t expect to stay at that job for as long as I did, and I’ll still be going back for the holidays to work a few days here and there. As my first job, the plan was to work for a couple months to pick up the experience and make some money, and then go off and do my own thing. I believe i was planning to make more progress on my game development aspirations. What I ended up getting out of that job, almost two years later, is incredibly improved social skills and confidence,—which I couldn’t imagine going to college without—much better work ethic than I’m sure I would’ve had, and a place I got to work with the friends I’ve made of everyone there. I also wasn’t expecting to miss that job as much as I now know I will. Even if it was still a job, not every day was great and I often didn’t want to be there, it is the place I spent the most time outside of my own room the last couple years. Good or bad, I think I would’ve missed it either way, but luckily I get the opportunity to look back fondly on the days spent at PUMA.
Moving away from family is also a very strange feeling. I’ve lived with these people for almost 20 years and never really thought about it, it was just the way it was. I don’t know yet how moving away will affect me, I’m sure I’ll end up missing things about the proximity, but I’ll still be able to reach them all the same. Most of the communication between family is already digital, aside from gatherings. I think the biggest difference will be the intermittent chit-chat in the kitchen or living room when we pass each other or sit down in the same room. I will still be close enough that it shouldn’t be too difficult to organize holidays or other events. In the end, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, I think there’s a possibility I end up having more meaningful conversation with them. Sitting down and talking is always great, and I’m not too much a fan of texting, but maybe the distance will give us more motivation to call each other, sharing conversation that way. My siblings already have plans for a book club, so we’ll get to talk over that as well. To y’all reading this, give me a call every once in a while, I can always call back.
The biggest change for me personally is I’m sure blatantly obvious. I’m going to college! New environment, new obligations, I’ll certainly be a lot more busy. I’m looking forward to getting to know more people my age who all have their own interests and skills, as well as being in an environment where it is my sole job to learn stuff that for the most part I myself am interested in. I love learning, and I plan to learn a lot in the next few years. I have goals for who I want to be and how I want to do it, and this can be the start of that.