The End of a Chapter
Well, it’s over. My four years as an undergraduate student have finally ended with my graduating from Penn State University with a B.S. in Cyber Security and Intelligence Analysis. It still hasn’t really set in yet. Everything I’ve done in my life, up until this point, has been “education starts again after this break”. Not this time, at least not in the same manner as before. I’m starting my full time job at Capital One as an IT Analyst as well as starting my Master’s Degree in Cyber Security and working on my MBA as well as starting my web business on the side. I’m working full time and learning part time. I am so used to it being the inverse.
It’s bittersweet really. So many people that I met just this past year alone, and in my life in general that has changed my outlook entirely. People I’ve met just in the past few months have shaped my perception around aspects of my life, whether they will ever realize this or not I will never know. Not all have been positive events though. I lost 2 of my closest friends this year, one to cancer and another in a freak medical accident. In the past four years was in heated arguments with people in Hollywood over musicians that I helped obtain recognition for their talent, I’ve been heart broken and had friends drift away from me and there was nothing I could do, I’ve felt extremely stressed and anxious at times when I was severely overworked. But in hindsight, despite me wishing outcomes could have been different, at least I have these memories to learn off of. If it wasn’t for the people I’ve been with, whether past friends, girlfriends, enemies, family members, they’ve all shaped me in some way that will improve relationships in the future. I’ve been lucky enough to remain friends with some of the most brilliant minds I’ve ever known as well as meeting entirely new sets of personas and attitudes that have the potential to further alter my perspectives.
I miss my friends from my past, whether they’ve passed away or drifted away is irrelevant. The times that I’ve shared with some of them have been some of the most memorable events of my life. And if any of them are reading this, know that I will always hold you in my memories as someone highly respectable. Where our paths take us down the road, I don’t know. Maybe we’ll talk again someday, for most of the people in my past, I doubt it but I am never one who wants to burn a bridge when it doesn’t need to be burned. If I ever considered you a friend, I just want to say thank you for sharing life experiences with me. Regardless of if we only saw each other once, only talked through texts, or saw each other all the time and then suddenly stopped, I will always be grateful for what it has done to me as a person — and don’t think that contacting me would ever be something that I would frown upon or dislike. I wish nothing but the best, for all of you, I hope all your aspirations come true. And to my Penn State friends and family, please enjoy the video below.
Ryan,
This was truly inspiring. As the end of my chapter quickly approaches I can only hope to be half the person you have become. You have been through so much these past 4 years, more than I’m sure I even know. But I read a quote once that said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’” I know I’ve said this to you before, but even though we may not talk as often as we used to and we let life’s chaos consume us. I want you to know that I will always love you; as a person and as a dear friend. And whatever path life chooses for you and for me I am thankful to have had you in my life and I will never forget the impact you have made to my story.