On Goodbyes and New Beginnings

One of my closest friends leaves for medical school this morning, making last night the last time we were able to hang out together (at least for a bit). Her departure is bittersweet, as it marks the end of an era of sorts: our group of friends, which we amusingly dub "The Squad", will no longer be able to grab Dim Sum on Sundays nor hang out and drink wine on Fridays in its entirety. Though that's sad to think about, the beginning of her new adventure signals the countdown to an adventure of my own.

In just a few short weeks I'll be headed across the country to begin anew in New York City (well, just east of it). I'll be attending Hofstra University for my final year of undergraduate studies, and, if all goes according to plan, I'll graduate with my BA in English, Publishing Studies and Literature.

And that is exciting. Except, it's also not.

I've lived in California my entire life and have been fortunate to be surrounded by a loving family, great friends, and awesome coworkers. When I pack my bags and fly away a month from today, I'll be saying goodbye to life as I know it, stepping into a new city with new people and new challenges. And frankly, that's terrifying.

While the move will be scary, the first year I'm in NYC will be relatively manageable. I'll have guaranteed housing on campus, a meal-plan (and tons of tasty on-campus dining options), and resources that will help me get settled in after graduation. I'll finally get to live out the traditional college experience, you know, the college life you see in every college movie ever: awesome roommates, crazy parties, and thrilling playoff football games. (Though I may pass on the latter two). Instead I'll opt to make new friends and connections, pack in as much knowledge as Hofstra lets me, work (hopefully), get an internship (hopefully). and blog (also hopefully). New York is the city that never sleeps, but I may be borrowing that moniker for a while.

But soon I'll graduate. It'll be a great time. My friends and family will come out, we'll all go to dinner and catch up, and I can bask in the glory of finally obtaining my BA after a less than straight path through higher education. Then it'll be morning and life will hit me.

I'm terrified.

Where will I live? Will I be able find a job in publishing? Did I save enough money? These questions, among many others, have been rattling around in my brain for the past few months, and I'm sure they'll continue to do so. These are all perfectly valid concerns to have, but I'm trying to stay positive.

I'n addition to all of the concerns relating to my basic ability to live in NYC, I've been contemplating which direction I want to go in the world of publishing. I've been interested in digital media for quite some time, particularly platforms that focus on sports or pop culture, though I have some reservations with online media. Getting into books, because books, has also been a serious consideration, though I'm not too sure where I'd go with that. I am particularly engrossed with children's literature at the moment, so we'll see. My girlfriend suggested I look into working as an agent, an idea I like (though commission doesn't sound super fun) and one I will continue to look into. Experience and internships will ultimately play a large role in the direction I go. I know a lot can happen in a year (c'mon winning lottery ticket!), and I'm optimistic everything will work out.

Saying goodbye to a close friend yesterday was difficult, and saying goodbye to a ton of other fantastic people in my life very soon will be also be challenging. But I'm excited to see where my next move takes me.

No matter what happens, I'm forever the optimist, and I know I'll figure it out.

Though any advice you have is also appreciated. :)