34
"Where do you see yourself in a year? Five years? Ten years?" Recently, Bonnie over at The Life of Bon asked this question to her high school English classes.
After thinking about it, you know what?I am not in any of the places I thought I would be when I was graduating high school. I don't even know if I considered back then growing up to be the person I actually am.
Dance Team Banquet. Seniors. Front row, third from right.
Senior prom. Yes, my flip phone is rhinestoned.
New York Dance Team trip.
Senior Night with Brittany
One year What I thought: I thought I'd be pre-med at LSU, loving it. Definitely getting straight A's and loving going to the best party school in the country. I was going to have a ton of friends and probably a super hot boyfriend. And I was going to make the dean's list for sure. I was also going to be super skinny and drinking allllll that beer was definitely NOT going to make me gain weight. Oh, and I was going to run a marathon. I think I actually wrote that down somewhere. Silly me.
I don't know what was going on or why I'm not wearing shoes.
Before the weight gain happened...but you see what's in my hand, right? It's coming.
One year Where I was: I did go to LSU and I did declare pre-med as my major...and hated every second of it. Making friends wasn't as easy as I thought it would be and it felt like everything constantly reminded me that I wasn't in Texas anymore. Thankfully, my next door neighbor and eventual roommate, Emily, helped me navigate the friends thing. There were a lot of all nighters where I called Mama Nancy crying, begging to come home. I also wanted to transfer to University of Texas-San Antonio because that's where all my friends from high school went. I definitely missed out on the magic, "drink me and you won't gain weight" beer because I drank the regular shit and gained a ton. And I didn't run. Not one time, not one mile.
Know what this looks like? Bad decisions.
We may or may not have decided to jump on stage. At a bar. In the middle of someone's musical performance.
Holly, Emily, Kelsey, Me, Tissy, Higgs, Blaum
When I still had little boobs.
Five years What I thought: I would have totally graduated college and I'd have a super great job-to-career doing something I really loved for a lot of money. I'd probably be married already and working on starting a family. I'd be living back in Texas to be close to my parents. Obviously.
Crowning my successor.
Krissy Bug. Best friends for life.
Graduate. Finally.
5 yearsWhere I was: I was just graduating college with concentrations in 3 different, completely unrelated things. I was engaged to be married and working in property management managing apartments. I didn't really have any idea what I wanted to do: did I want to continue in this career? Did I want to try something else? I had a brief flirtation with the idea of going to law school and took the LSAT. I did well, but I decided I didn't hate myself enough to actually go to law school. Something told me to be a teacher, so I got my certification and started my teaching career at Istrouma High School (one of the best experiences of my life). I also realized how much weight I had gained and started trying to do something about it. 10 yearsWhat I thought: I thought that by 28, I'd have shit together. I'd be way involved in my marriage. I'd have a kid or two. Or twelve. I'd own a house with a dog. I'd be a hospital's chief of surgery by now (because everyone becomes a chief of surgery in like, 3 years, right?) and I'd volunteer on the weekends. I'd hang out with my mama and be busing my kids back and forth to whatever practice/birthday party/whatever.
8 years Where I am: I haven't made it to my 10 year yet (uh, 2 years away. WHAT?) but so far...I'm not all that close to what I thought. At all. I'm finishing my masters program in Kinesiology. The closest thing I have to a kid is Axl, who is the best kid EVER. I'm still teaching AND still working in property management and I'm working toward becoming a Marine Officer. I have good friends, I pay all my own bills, I have a great relationship with my parents and my tolerance for bullshit is pretty low. I like playing with other people's kids and I hate laundry. Most days being a grown up sucks, but it's pretty satisfying knowing that, as tiring as it can be, I get shit done. I still get carded buying beer and I'm okay with that. Oh, and I lost that freshman 40 from college. Finally.
Add caption
Add caption
Me and the kid
Naturally I hang out with Mama Nancy
Where did you see yourself in a year, 5 years, 10 years from high school? **PS: Athlete profiles on Saturdays will be BACK next week!
