Friday, May 14, 2010

Four Years

I finally did it. After 18 long years of school, I have reached, well, sort of the top. I wouldn't have ever guessed in my wildest dreams that I'd be here. I knew I would have to go through all this school to make something out of my life, that's just the nature of the beast, but I didn't think I'd take this route.

Four years ago when I was applying to colleges, I had every intention of becoming a nurse. It was easy money, I'd have health insurance, and it was easy money. I didn't get into any of the college I applied to for nursing. A letter in the mail came from the art school at Rutgers, Mason Gross. It said it was not too late for me to send in my portfolio. Too be honest, I was going to accept my fate, but I talked to my dad, and he said that it couldn't hurt. I sent in my work and waited a long month. I had no girlfriend anymore, all my friends were going to college, and I had to wait.

I didn't choose art, I art chose me. I don't want to sound cocky and say I'm amazing, but I was given this skill set for a reason I suppose. I mean I wasn't ever good at anything else at school except for socializing anyway. I took the leap. I took the chance, and here I am now. I have no regrets. Why should I? In the end I did what I wanted to do and answered to no one. Even without job security, I went into this field know that I had to make something for myself. That no one was going to give me anything. That numbers and grades didn't matter, but the quality of work I put out did. The work ethic that I would give myself to put out piece after piece would eventually define me.

No disrespect for anyone that sits in front of a computer, but as a person who sits in front of a computer already 18 hours out of the day, I don't think I could do that. This degree, this moment allows me to do whatever I want to do without having to make sure it fulfills the standards for an A, or if my spelling, grammar and punctuation are correct. I did this because I would be able to do what I wanted to do, not what anyone else wanted to me do.

I can get a job, I have to. I can make money. Money is always nice. But in the end I want to put out the work I know I can put out. Money will come just as fast as it goes. I'll try not to make it primary, but of course. It will help me get the things I need to do the things I want to do of course, but I won't let how much I make define me.

Four years is a long time. I used to think it wasn't. The past four years I've learned more about myself than I could have ever thought up. You can't write a life up like this. I've been surrounded by the greatest people a person can associate with. I have a loving family and great friends to help see me through the rest of the way. When it was getting towards the end, I used to think that I would be alone after this. Truth is I'm not. I got everyone behind me, pushing me, and I will forever and always be indebted to them.

Rutgers University. Thanks for the memories. Thanks for the friends. Thanks for the ride. It's been fun, it's been great. They say money can't buy happiness, but it indirectly does. College was the time of my life.

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