I'm graduating?

A year and a half ago I made one of the hardest decisions of my life. I gave up my spot at one of the best journalism schools in the country to go to community college. My whole high school life was all focused on grades and GPA and AP classes and who was going to be in the top 5% of the class and that's all I knew. So for ME to go to community college; it felt so wrong. I felt like I was cheating myself. I know I can do better than that and push myself more than that. Even to this day it still pains me to have to tell people that I go there. 

Most of my assumptions about the college were right. The people are their own unique breed. The classes are at or below high school level. We're in our last semester and some lady asked me how to turn on the gas stove in the kitchen. I saw one of my classmates at my sister's musical...because her daughter was in it.  The cool hang out is the smoker's pavilion. Most people struggle with basic math skills.

But for as much as I didn't learn there, I learned a lot. About myself and about life. I met people who changed me and my perspective. I went to cross country nationals (lol). I learned that it's much more satisfying to do what you love and find out that you're kinda good at it, than do what you're good at and hope that you kinda like it.

Now in a few short weeks I will be graduating with an Associate's degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. And as much as I thought I wouldn't, I will miss that little place. I'll think about it sometimes and laugh. I know I'm moving on to bigger and better things. But I can leave saying that I'm happy that I went to Westmoreland County Community College. And that's good enough for me.