another day of firsts

Tomorrow will be my first day of graduate school. I will walk into that class, armed with paper and pen and try to exert as much brainpower into that room as possible.

I remember my first day of school ever. I held up a sign with my little friends that our moms carefully placed into our small hands. They took pictures. I remember looking at the foreign looking symbols on the sign and thinking, I will be able to actually read what's written on this after today. (Side note: the sign read "First Day of School, September 1990.")

I remember my first day of high school. I had agonized over my outfit. I mean, agonized. After thinking, re-thinking, and over-analyzing, I selected a long-sleeved light blue top from Gap, khaki shorts, and my new Steve Madden black platform sandals. Oh, I was set. Fast forward to the next day, I couldn't find my class. Yes, I was late to my very first class in high school and as I walked to my seat in Biology, I stumbled over those formerly beloved Steve Maddens. I never saw them the same way after that.

I remember my first day of college. Again, I agonized over my outfit (I'm seeing a trend here...) I wanted to look "college-y", grown-up, self-assured. Heart-pounding, I walked to the building and sat down in the front row of Statistics. I organized my spiral notebook to be flush with the desk corner. The professor began speaking and it began, I was in college.

As I begin my next step, I will consciously not agonize over an outfit (ok, maybe just a little) and take a few deep breaths. I'll be a graduate student and at the end of the day, I couldn't do any worse than end up tripping in front of my entire class...