Pomp and my Circumstance

Today is the day that I have been waiting for, for my entire college career. Today, is GRADUATION from college for those of us that started four short years ago, as I did, for those of us who keep to the same major, as I did, and those of us who took where full-time students, as I did.  But as many of ya'll probably know. Today is not my graduation day.

I thought that when my original graduation date rolled around, that I would be upset and disappointed that I wasn't in school, but I am not--AT ALL. I will be excited to graduate in December of this year, but there are things I need to do first. I have a small ULM Bucket List that needs to completed before I can walk through Fant-Ewing in a goofy gown and dumb hat.

One of the other reasons why I am happy to continue my college career into the fall is because of HPA--Harry Potter Alliance.  It is the first, and only, nonacademic school club I have ever been a part off. It is really cool to meet new people in different majors, which is something I am not used to. I am so looking forward to another semester hanging out in the Room of Requirements with my fellow Potter-heads.

HPA Members 2011-12

Even though I did not graduate today I have learned a lot in the last four years. Here are my top ten most important things I have learned in college.

1. Always make sure your teacher know you.  It's good to introduce your self to him the first couple weeks of class.
2. Genetics is hard. 
3. Strangers sometimes become friends, and friends sometimes become strangers.
4. You don't have to be a red-neck to look cute in waders.
5. It's good to know pick-up lines related to common majors--you never know who you'll meet.
6. Wikipedia and Google are great, but you need to be familiar with databases like JSTOR and EBSOHost
7. Full Throttle evenings often lead to Red Bull mornings.
8.  Study groups are great... but only if ya'll study.
9. It's not paranoia to save things to your flash drive, Google Documents, and your email--just in case.
10. Breathing is important.

I have two more weeks left of my "mini-summer" then four weeks of chemistry, and then I will be free to do as a please for a couple weeks before beginning the fall semester. I'm pretty excited about the fall because all of my Doomsday classes (genetics and chemistry) will be done with and I'll only have to focus on about 12 hours of classes.

As for after my graduation in December, I'm not too sure. I hope to get an internship or something. I think that is most to stall graduate school or whatever my next step is.  I am very interesting in herpetology (reptile and amphibians).  I wouldn't mind working in an outreach education position--not teaching more like at a zoo, museum, or something of that. I am interested in conservation methods. So as you can tell I'm not really sure what I want to do. If anyone knows of any ideas, I'd be happy to hear them.

Congrats to Tech and ULM graduates.