What's Next?

Tallahassee, Florida has been "home" for the past 15 years and Florida State University was the future. 

My future.

My preference for FSU stems from my father's involvement around the university. He spent countless hours working near several athletic programs such as baseball and football at Florida State during the 1990s. 

  

Since 1998, the ritual consisted of driving to Wal Mart for two large bags of Lays chips, two large Cokes, while plopping on a faded brown colored, torn couch for my dad and I, as we tuned in every Saturday afternoon or evening to watch the Florida State football team dominate opponents for years.

Over time, my dad and I began to explore the "Harry Potter-like castle" (Doak Campbell Stadium), and eventually, the rest of the campus and facilities. 

From the Suwannee dining room to the Westcott fountain, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the constant autumn-like ambience and the never-ending bricks. It’s impossible to feel anything less than curiosity and excitement when walking around the campus.

Then, high school crashed in like a tidal wave, with all of the pressures from my parents and teachers, and the need to select the “best” school.

But all that glitters isn’t (garnet and) gold.

My future became my present.

But this present wasn’t gift-wrapped nor did it have a beautiful red bow on top.

This present is just another station on this conveyor belt of life that I’m cruising on.

The memories of a midnight dump in the blistering, icy water in Westcott Fountain for my birthday, Saturday afternoons spent chanting “FSU” as the football team fight, fight, fight for victory, and avoiding FSU police, after roaming until two in the morning, for sketchy side entrances to facilities on campus, from sports stadiums to creepy tunnels.

Maybe this conveyor belt can carry me along to another station so I can appreciate more my moment in life.

But I don’t want myFSU experience to come through as filled with disappointment and eager to move on to the other phase of my life.

While Tallahassee will remain as my home, FSU is engraved in my head as my “home away from home”. I preferred to extend the distance between my parents and I from single digit miles to triple digit miles.

The dream of exploring a new city became a fascination and an obsession, but I’m satisfied with my time in home away from home.

College graduation is around the corner and the future becomes foggy again.

So now, I spend occasional midnights, sitting in front of Doak Campbell, with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Lenny” playing on my laptop to remind me of all the childhood memories I planned.

Here’s a toast to the future