Does it all go this fast?

August 2016

“It doesn’t feel like senior year,” I laugh and remember, “cause it’s not.”

Did I open my eyes and wake up with a job, in a new city, and new responsibilities? Not responsibilities like “homework on a Sunday, instead of enjoying NFL football,” but those “real world” responsibilities.

Today, and like every day this month I woke up at 6:45am, tucked in my shirt, got in my car, and commuted to work. A day, that’s much different than the previous 22 years of my life. However, as time usually does, times have changed. I am a full-fledged adult.

Do I feel different? Ehh, maybe a little bit, it’s really a weird feeling if we’re going to be honest. Luckily for me, I was writing a lot during my college years, and recorded almost everything I did, almost down to the number of times I sneezed (jk). This transition of my life (college to job) is way different than the transition from (high school to college). Some of those differences are obvious, but others, not so much.

1.        There’s not a pep rally when you arrive. When I moved into my apartment I wasn’t met by a RA or a packet to “welcome me home.” Now, I am not saying that I wanted that by any means, but the “real world” is real on day 1.
2.         Friends aren’t free. College friends aren’t free, but they are sure easy to make. Everyone wants to know your name, and everyone wants to hang out. The real world yells at you if you check your phone at a red light (that’s another story for another time). The real world isn’t easy, and it’s a challenge to meet new people, which doesn’t scare me, it excites me. Life isn’t as easy as college made it out to be.
3.         Dad doesn’t give you food money anymore. Yeah, you have to buy your own Chipotle bowls now, it’s not that bad.
4.        Gaining weight is easy. If you’re working 8-10 hrs a day, weight can catch up to you. If you remember, you probably walked to class, now you commute to work. It’s inevitable that you’ll gain weight if you don’t change your habits. An apple a day, and an activity a day, might keep the weight away.

College wasn’t the best four years of my life, but to this point, it was the most unique. However, I am striving to succeed in this thing called the “real world.” I have a kick-butt job with endless opportunities, and I believe I’ll be writing another chapter like this when all of what I have now goes by so fast.

Post Grad 2- Charlotte via Valdese

The Next Chapter:

“Saying goodbye to what I know”

June 27, 2016

Valdese, North Carolina.

“What is that? Huh? You’re from where? I’ve never even heard of it. I thought it had a ‘z’ in the spelling. Wait, where are you from again?”

It became a joke amongst my friends after they got tired of me telling strangers where I was from, and how I ended up at UNC-Chapel Hill. Some of those friends even got to experience the BIG (not really) city of Valdese during my senior year, and got to see why my voice sounds so funny. Although my friends know I am proud of where I am from, and know I would be the first to pledge my allegiance to the 828, Pepsi instead of coke, or how could I forget sharing livermush (spellcheck doesn’t even know livermush), but nobody truly knows what this town means to me. If I think about it, it wasn’t until tonight, driving down Main Street that I saw the impact of this town that can get lost on I-40.

Now, if you know me really well, you might think it’s silly that I am saying goodbye to a town that still holds my parents, and I will only be moving to Charlotte, which is an hour away. However, as I begin a new chapter of all new things, I find it helpful to reflect back, and thank the town that built the foundation that will help me achieve all of the things I set out to accomplish.

Back to my drive down Main St.

For those of you whom have never traveled down the infamous street, it has about 10 stop lights, 1 McDonald’s, 2 gas stations, a few thrift shops, a bar, and a few other establishments. On Friday nights, its home to the “cruise-in” where old folks take their old cars and show them off to anyone that’ll look. Its home to a festival every year that draws all 4,500 Valdeseians out of their homes. Oh yeah, and the speed limit is 20 MPH, that way you can soak it all in because it only lasts a mile.    

The street holds a lot more to me though.

I remember going to the McDonald’s every Friday morning before school to get a biscuit with my dad. I remember watching fireworks in my mom’s van because I was scared of the noise. I remember thrift shopping for homecoming week in high school, where I bought women’s clothing to dress like Austin Powers. I remember my first tank of gas I had to purchase, where “Big Red” broke down, and where I stalled at my first stop lights. There is so much I remember, so much I will cherish. Then, a thought came to me, “why Valdese, God? Why this town?”

Almost simultaneously, my phone switched songs (shuffle of course), the song was Holy Spirit by Bryan and Katie Torwalt. I know it sounds crazy, but in that moment I felt something unexplainable, maybe it was just the sweat and AC giving me chills, but I believe it was more than that. I believe the BIG man was was right in my face. I don’t think he was in my face to make sure that I was going 20 MPH, but He was there to let me know that I was born in the perfect town. Now that might sound silly too. I could’ve been from a big city where I went to private school, my parents could’ve held big corporate jobs, and I could’ve gone to an Ivy. However, that wasn’t his plan. God placed me in this tiny, tiny town for some reason, and that reason I saw tonight. It took me 22 years to really understand it, but as I finished my drive down Main St. I felt at peace. I felt like my time here was finished, it’s time to say goodbye, and to take what this town taught me and use in my next chapter.

My next chapter, call it “The Real World” or “Charlotte, NC,” is just a next chapter, same Austin. The people will not look as familiar, the streets won’t be as small or slow, and the experiences will be different. However, one thing is for certain. This next chapter of my life isn’t defined by my plan, it’s defined by God’s and that is special.

As a believer in Jesus, sometimes it’s really hard. It’s hard to keep a straight head, to stray from temptation, and to have strong faith. Sometimes I question myself, “how can that be real or true?” Then, I’m reminded. The beauty of the earth reminds me, and nights like tonight show me that God is so real. The real question should be, “Why have all of these things happened to a kid from Valdese?”  

At the end of this week, I will say goodbye to my childhood home. I am entering a life of unknown, well I know where I am living and working, but who I will meet, what opportunities that are ahead, and my journey is unknown to me. However, I am at peace. I am saying goodbye to what I know, but I am saying hello to a new chapter that is known by God.

You can take the boy out of Valdese, but you’ll never take the Valdese out of the boy!

Here I come Charlotte, just remember, I’m just a kid from Valdese.

Austin

Post Grad 1- Time to Publish

 Graduated:

Finished College, Finished Graduation, What’s next?

June 2016

It’s been almost a year since I posted on the blog, and some of you might’ve wondered if I quit writing, but in fact, I never quit. I wanted to keep my senior year (Aug ’15-May’16) a surprise, so I didn’t publish any of the chapter I wrote this past year. Once my book is published, you’ll get to see how my last chapter ended, and how the new one is beginning.

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who played an integral part in the last 21 years of my life. It has been a time filled with excitement, adventure, and through it all I have learned so much of what it takes to live a successful life. My parents, my family, my teachers/professor, friends, and the random people that have come into my life, have all had some kind of impact that I haven’t overlooked. Thank you for all the little things that you may have done for me.

As I reflect on the past four years in college, I wonder “what’s next?” What’s the next adventure, what will I see, who I will meet, the list goes on and on. However, college showed me that worrying about the future will only do one thing, make me worry more. The next adventures will come, but for now, I will live in the moment.

Since graduation, I ventured to the beach, Jamaica, and have spent my free time playing golf, and various other stress-free activities. One of those being beginning the book publishing process! I hope that you will continue to follow my journey, as I take my college stories/lessons, and turn them into a book that will impact 1000s of future college students.

I did graduate college, but my journey has just begun. Thank you for the support, prayers, and especially laughter over the years. It’s time for this dream to become a reality.