I'm done. I've been finished with the semester for five days and I've been taking advantage of a new peace of mind. This semester has been quite hectic. It's been the sort of time in which one feels guilty for reading a book or having a day on the town, one feels guilty because the weight of what should be getting done is constantly on her mind! But that time has closed for now.

That's something that's interesting about school. Unlike most careers, one can look forward to the end of these one hundred thirty-two credit hours knowing that the burdensome assignments shoveled onto our reluctant little schedules will disappear, the slate of academic responsibilities wiped clean upon a designated hour.

But thinking of myself having a job that has no definite, ending deadline is exciting. Attention would turn from the due-date, from that ever-brightening light at the end of the stress-tunnel, and to the overall effect of my work.

As a student, my whole life has been spent moving towards inevitable promotions: elementary to junior high to high school to college. I've graduated to the next level mostly based on elements that aren't in my control, elements like my age and the expectations set by my parents.

But in a career, out there in the "real" world, I have the power of my direction. I believe in the cliche that every decision makes "all the difference," and each choice could be a crux in my life (there are reasons why that is a cliche).

The power is in me to be recognized as a person whom I would respect. It's comforting and exciting to know that that, on the other side, there's a production much more profound than my transcript.

So, yes. I'm done for the semester.

I'm done with the essays and the tests and the busywork. And when the papers pile up this fall and I feel like my levee may very well be breaking, I have to take a deep breath and remind myself that the world is a much bigger place than the presently looming halls of academia.