When you graduate from college the big question that lingers is WHAT’S NEXT. I may even go as far as to say that question taunts you. You go through four years where you’re supposed to be figuring out who you are as a person and begin planning for your future. When I graduated on May 18th I was bombarded with so many emotions. I mean graduating college debt free and having played Division 1 basketball on a full scholarship you’d think I’d be ecstatic… but let me tell you, I don’t think I’d ever experienced such sadness before in my life. My four years of college, I learned so many life lessons, made some of the most amazing friends, made memories that will last a lifetime, and most importantly I grew so much as a person. I had a love hate relationship with Manhattan College but I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE! I had no idea what was next for me and that was a scary space to be in. I hadn’t heard back from any Graduate Assistant positions I’d applied to nor the Sport Changes Life Program.
But I was determined to stay in New York and not go back home to Texas, so I do what any recent college graduate would do… babysit! HAHA
On Monday, June 25, 2018 I was doing what I normally did… making the seven year old girl I babysat, Pauline some mac & cheese when I received a text followed by a facetime call from none other than Deirdre. She’d called to give me the great news that I’d been accepted to be apart of the 2019 class of Victory Scholars. I’d be coaching and mentoring in Limerick, Ireland, while attending Limerick Institute of Technology.
Receiving the news later than normal wasn’t ideal or apart of the plan I’d mapped out, but none of that mattered because in that moment I finally knew WHAT WAS NEXT! I couldn’t feel anything other than pure and genuine excitement. Of course the first people I wanted to call and share my great news with were my parents, but ironically the first person I celebrated with was the seven year old girl Pauline I was babysitting at the time and I don’t think I’ll ever have a bowl of mac & cheese as memorable or satisfying as that one.
I thought I’d had everything figured out now, but the crazy thing is I’ve learned that space of uncertainty isn’t so scary. There’s always a WHAT’S NEXT that lingers but instead of being afraid or letting it taunt me, I now embrace it. So… LIMERICK WHAT’S NEXT?
