Graduation
The day has finally come. I have graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor's in Computer Science. It's been a long journey, but I'm grateful for the experiences and knowledge I've gained along the way. It hasn't set in yet, but seeing some of the people who supported me along the way has been amazing. I'm excited to see what the future holds and where my career will take me.
After graduation, I went on a spontaneous road trip with Christian Matthew. What a guy. To accept a last-minute plan like that was bold. We had no clue what we were going to do, but the direction was west. A part of me wanted to go to either the Grand Canyon or swing by the Tetons.
We ended up going to the Grand Canyon. But before Arizona, we decided to make a few stops. OKC to visit my long-time high school friend Chris Mendez, then to Albuquerque to visit my cousin, and a brief break in Phoenix to visit my friend, and then finally to the Grand Canyon. In Phoenix, we met up with my friend, and he gave us a tour of the city. We had a great time and gained some key wisdom from his father. During my 4 years at college, I felt like I lost a piece of my creative side. I was so focused on my studies that I forgot to take a break and enjoy life. I'm grateful for the advice he gave me. Mindset is key to anything you do. With a broken mind, you can't do anything. Your mind is your most powerful tool, and to accomplish your dreams you must have the discipline to execute, but also the ability to dream. The conversation I had reignited a flame in me that I thought was lost. I'm excited to see where this new mindset will take me.
Finally, after reaching the Grand Canyon (with no plans), it was a sight to see. I've never seen anything like it. The vastness of the canyon was breathtaking. We spent a few days there, hiking and camping on the Bright Angel Trail. We stayed overnight at Lake Havasupai Gardens. It wasn't the peak heat of the summer, but it was still hot. Thankfully for Christian, we packed enough salty snacks, and water to get us through the hike.
After the Grand Canyon, we decided to head back home. It was a great trip, and I'm grateful for the experiences I've had. I'm excited to see what the future holds and where my career will take me. I'm grateful for the people who have supported me along the way, and I'm excited to see where this new mindset will take me. Our first stop was to pass through Arches/Canyonlands National Park. We didn't have much time to explore, but we did get to see the Delicate Arch. It was a sight to see. We camped outside the city of Moab, and the views of the stars were superb.
I want to own a remote, low light pollution ranch one day to just camp and stare into the night sky. The darkness is really healing. I love Utah! ❤️ After Utah, we drove to Kansas City because I needed a bed desperately. We briefly stopped in Colorado, had some tea (took two amazing dumps) and made it on our way. Before heading back to NYC, we stopped in Nashville to visit my mentor. Nash was great and very spicy. My mentor and his wife were very welcoming. We had a great time and I'm grateful for the advice they both gave me.
We made it to the NYC area. I dropped CMat to Delaware and I made my way back to NYC. I have a month and a half of time before I start my job.
Lessons learned:
- Mindset is key 🔑
- Take the trip and smell the roses 🌹
- The stars are the brightest in the darkest of times.
svntii