First Year Done!

So it's official I have completed my first year of Graduate school in my counseling program. I am now considered a 2nd year. Last week I attended graduation. It was a cool, and weird feeling to know that hopefully in one year i am going to be in that cap and gown walking across the stage getting my very own diploma. After working at the graduation ceremony me and two very close friends went to a hotel downtown and celebrated with expensive drinks and good conversation. The night ended with a few unexpected turns of events and there was some dancing in the street done at 2:00a.m. It was a great finish to my first year.

Monday when walking into the break room the air seemed different. It hit me we really are the new 2nd years. We had gotten new carpet in the halls, the clinic got new couches, and we were starting a new year! Lots of new was happening. I then went into the video to see who was counseling and stopped to take a moment. Really I am doing this, I am really in a grad school counseling program, I am not just watching someone practice in just a few moments I will be sitting with someone myself. There are some people in Orlando that know me as their "Counselor". This may sound weird but sometimes I look at the mirror and have conversations with myself. Actually if I am honest I have done this since I was young. In the video room you can see your reflection in the two way mirror and I had a "Oh my goodness this is really happening to you Lani" conversation with myself.

So since I have completed my first year let me end with few words to describe what all the first year was like.

My First Year in the MAC program:

New

Hard

Humbling

Vulnerable

Exciting

Different

Refreshing

Confusing

What? Did all that happen in one week? Yes it did

A circus

Exhausting

Known by others

Knowing others

Insecurities

Heard well

Loved

Tears mean something

Possibly Hopeful