Fri/Sat, June 1, 2002 (Happy Birthday Nick)
12:15 AM
Davis

Chicken Soup from Tiff's Soul


Wow, my second entry in one day. This thing is gonna get addictive, I can feel it. This could be dangerous. Alright, time to get deep and introspective here folks. Are you ready?

I was sitting in the Coffee House on campus today, enjoying a nice refreshing iced mocha to help keep me cool from the 90 degree weather outside, and it really hit me. I am done. I am graduating from college in two weeks. What the?? Have five years of my life really flown by like that? I can still distinctly remember our boring ass high school graduation like it was yesterday. Fast forward four years and my friends are walking down the aisle receiving their diplomas, sliding that tassle from left to right (or is it right to left....hmm I should probably look into that before my own graduation huh), now with an official degree from college under their belt. And one year later, here I am, soon to be the one standing on the edge of that stage, awaiting to hear the announcer say my name, praying to God that I do not trip on anything as I walk across the stage nor drop that rolled up fake diploma when it is handed to me. What a long strange journey it has been.

I think the biggest lesson I've learned in my college experience has been that everything in your life truly does happen for a reason. And it's not until you look at your life in retrospect that it all becomes so clear. It took me five years to graduate because I had to trudge through two other majors to finally find my perfect fit in exercise science. As for lacrosse, I really did think my life was over when I got cut from the varsity team junior year. Most people don't understand, to this day, just how devastating that was for me and how much I changed as a result of it. Everything I knew was snatched away from me so quickly, with no warning, in that moment when the cut list was posted. But like I said, everything happens for a reason. Getting cut was a blessing in disguise. It helped me discover a new found love for coaching and I actually felt comfortable and confident, for the first time, in my own abilities. And suddenly out of nowhere, this club team lands on my lap and I'm back on a competitive team, playing the way I've always wanted to play - for myself and for my teammates, with no worries about playing time or having to impress my coach or having to be perfect on the field. For the first time, I could just be myself - dorkiness, clumsiness, imperfections and all - and still be accepted. In all eight years I have been involved with this sport, I have never ever been on a team as incredibly wonderful as this, full of so much talent, heart and pure love for the sport and the team. And as I sit here and write this, I can't help but smile.

"Without struggle, there is no progress." --Frederick Douglas
"Everything happens for a reason, they say." --Zhane