I. Fucking. Graduated.

Today I checked my grades for the last time. I can safely say that I have finally gotten a gorramn undergraduate degree in Computer Science, with a minor in Mathematics, from Oregon State University. [1] [3]

I hear that this happens on the reg [2] but I'm sure that every single person who actually graduates feels amazing when they do.

It's not amazing because graduation is a Herculean feat. I know I'm not a 60 year old grandmother who dreamt of getting a college degree for 45 years and finally scraped together the cash and time in retirement. I'm also not a refugee that escaped a war-torn country for an education and a better life. I'm just another white dude that checked all the boxes.

It wasn't hard for me. I just had to put my head down and do the work. But it did take a long ass time.

Honestly my story is exactly like most college graduation stories. I went to kindergarten, then elementary school, then middle school, then high school, then college, and now life. I plugged away at school, did what I needed to pass my classes, stressed and lamented, studied hard and eventually the system said "Cool. You're done." Along the way I learned how to "play the game" [4], albeit a bit late compared to a lot of my peers.

I'm thankful to be in a field which doesn't require a masters or PHD to get a jorb. Heck my field doesn't really require the degree I got; a surprising number of my friends got well paying jobs sans-degree.

I'm also thankful to graduate without debt. This came from some kickass parents + grandparents, some work during school, and some bad stuff that happened which ended up paying for abou half of my tuition.

I'm thankful to graduate with wonderful friends, a job, and some passions which make my work-related decisions simple and profitable.

Last, I'm thankful to be done. Now I can finally focus on learning, my real passion.

I'm gonna have a Cucumber Sour and celebrate. Thanks for reading.