Ok, the full sappy college recap is coming...I promise. I'll even include a few memories in this post. Until then I'll try to catch everyone up with what's been happening in my life.

First of all: I'm officially a college graduate (again). I received my master's degree on Saturday the 7th, along with many of my friends who graduated with either their Bachelor's or Master's. Exciting stuff. It's kind of hard to believe that I'm done...it just doesn't seem quite real yet. However, the fact I don't have a job yet remains a VERY real feeling-although I have a job interview next week, and I'm waiting to hear back on a few more. And I'm sending resumes out like a crazy woman...I'm not too worried, I suspect I'll have something with the next couple of weeks.

Being done with school: It's kind of a nice feeling, although I'm already planning my next degree-I want to puruse another Master's (in Public Administration) or a Ph.D. in the same field. I think the management and budgeting skills learned with an M.P.A. would only stand to help me in my chosen career. However, I won't be starting for at least a year-I need a bit of a break.

Graduation weekend was a lot of fun, although I definitely didn't get wild and crazy. However, it was nice to get together with my Springfield friends (one last time for some of us), in addition to Dan and Joe, who came down for the weekend. Despite their gift of a TACO BELL APPLICATION (those MONSTERS), I managed to forgive them and we had a good time-of course, they found it absolutely hillarious, but for someone like me, who doesn't have a job yet, it was hitting a bit below the belt (even though I know that they meant it in an entirely humorous manner).

So graduating and job hunting...that pretty much sums up what I have been up to lately. I'm relatively calmer about the job situation than I was a week ago, simply because I know I am doing ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING in my power to find something, and that it will only get easier as the summer goes along (right now, with legislative session wrapping up, it seems like absolutely no one is hiring, making it a very unfortunate time to graduate).

In other news, I have been thinking about the past a lot lately, more than one person usually really does. I suppose this is common in the event of significant milestones in one's life. I've been replaying college, high school, times with friends, family, love interests, significant others-and asking myself what it is that I have to show for my 24 years here on Planet Earth.

First of all, there's the obvious-I've finished an advanced college degree by the age of 24. I think that's pretty impressive, and that counts for something (although I'm not sure how much).

Second, there's relationships. First and foremost, friendships. I would like to think that I've meant something to the friends I've surrounded myself with for the past 20-something years. My friends mean the world to me (you know who you are), and they've always been there through thick, thin, and in between. Then, there's romantic relationships. I like to think that perhaps I've changed someone for the better (I definitely believe I have), or at least made them look at the world in a different way, and that I'm someone that is thought of fondly. Who knows. Then, there's relationships with family. I feel like I have a decent relationship with my family. I wish I was closer to my sisters, but thanks to college and changing interests/lives, some things can't be helped. I'm trying to change this. It's difficult when your life is wrapped up in school. As far as my parents, they're awesome and I hope they realize that every day. They'd do anything for me and that means everything to me. I truly feel like I inherited the best qualities from BOTH of my parents, something I'm grateful for. Ask me to elaborate on this later...

As far as memories, I find myself thinking back to both high school and college-when you had it sooooooooooo easy & good but didn't even realize it. Particularly in college. Wait, take that back, I think we did realize it-we just didn't appreciate it like a college graduate might appreciate it. I specifically remember a beautiful spring night during my senior year, walking back across the quad with Diller and Garrett, and thinking to myself, "My goodness, I am the luckiest girl alive-to have gone to school at this fabulous place, to be surrounded by such remarkably interesting and intelligent people, to have the BEST group of friends a girl could ever hope to have, and finally, just to live the life that I'm living."

It was a wonderful feeling, and I remember Diller looking over at me and saying, "Amy, you're smiling-what are you smiling about?" He thought it was some inside joke that I had yet to let him in on, but instead I just smiled more and shook my head, saying something like, "Life really can't get much better than this." I won't say life has gotten better OR worse, it's simply different-but those feelings I had in college aren't ones I'll soon forget. All I have to do is look at this picture I have setting on my shelf-me, with 5 of my best friends from U of I, and I'm instantly transported to another place, another time-even if it's only for a few seconds, it's nice to have had such powerful experiences that can be brought back in a single instant of looking at an old photograph.