Back, but moving forward.

How about a post from the good ol' SCC (Student Computing Center)? For those of you unfamiliar with Texas A&M (ahem, most of you), the SCC is a two-story building full of computers. That's it. Just a nice, big computer lab conveniently located on main campus. A few years ago, when I was an undergraduate, I would come here in between classes (how nice it was to actually have breaks between classes!) and literally waste time. I would not study, nor read, nor do anything productive whatsoever. I would log onto myspace, which was all the rage back in 2004-2006, I would get on AIM, I would type up emails to good friends, I would blog, and I would surf the interwebz. Those fifty minutes between classes would fly by, believe me. In fact, sometimes I would be so into whatever it was that I was doing in here, that I would be late to class. Oh, what a silly young daisy.

Being in here, I can't help but remember those days. I wanted so desperately to graduate, get the hell out of College Station, and move back to Dallas. I wanted to have adventures in the city that I left almost as soon as I became an "adult." I was so excited to start looking for a job in Dallas and brag about my degree. Vet school was on my mind, of course, but I had some living to do before getting there, as well as some experience and confidence to gain. I was so excited about the future, even though I had no idea what it would involve.

It involved landing a job at The SPCA of Texas, gaining a lot of experience, helping thousands of animals, and making wonderful friends. It involved becoming frustrated about not being able to land a job at a vet clinic to work with a veterinarian, which I needed in order to apply to vet school (vet school truly never left my mind). It involved enrolling in veterinary technology courses and becoming a registered vet tech in hopes that it would help me be hired by a vet clinic. It involved being forced to grow up thanks to not having days off because I worked from Friday through Sunday and then went to school from Monday through Thursday. It involved finally getting that previously elusive vet clinic job where I learned so much more than I could have ever learned in a classroom and made even more awesome friends. It involved my little family of creatures growing to include more than my beloved old Canelo Dog. It involved becoming a vegetarian, which is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my lifetime. It involved being treated like crap by people I worked with and learning how to deal with people not liking me. It involved finally meeting the love of my life and falling deeply in love with him almost immediately. Of course, it involved eventually applying to vet school and being admitted.

So here I am. Back in College Station, back at A&M, back at the SCC, but an entirely different person than I was all those years ago...

Little Daisy. Little hopeful twenty year-old Daisy, you've done well. Back then, you didn't doubt that the future would be bright and exciting for you. Don't you start doing so now. You've grown up and added some years to your age now. You aren't so naive anymore, but you must keep believing in yourself. Just look how far you've come and everything you have already accomplished! You are well on your way, girl. Be proud, be confident, stay focused, and don't you ever lose that love. Love for others, love for what you do, and love for life. An even brighter future lies ahead for you, princess, and you deserve it.