There are funny feelings in the pit of my stomach as I realize that my last final exam of my graduate student life is only nine weeks away.  It’s hard to figure out if the butterflies are those of joy or fear.  Joy because I will have accomplished a huge goal, and also because I will never ever have to study for another final in my entire life.  (And this is one time I can honestly say NEVER!)  Fear because the final is in the overwhelmingly difficult web design class and because the last final marks the start of a new chapter when I have to turn back into a responsible adult.  I’ll have to emerge from the protection of the big university and find my way in the world again. 

But unlike the last two times I graduated from college, I have oh so much more experience behind me and a much stronger vision of what I want to do when I grow up.  It’s the growing up part I’m not so comfortable with!  Lucky for me, library work lets me be a part of so many people’s lives at so many different levels that I don’t think it’s a requirement to grow up at all to do this work.   You are able to give surface information to those that just want minimal direction, or to delve deeply into a subject with those that want more help or just want to share their exploration.  You get to learn a little bit about a lot of stuff, and learn more than you ever wanted to know about some stuff.  That’s what makes it cool.  That and the people you get to meet along the way.

So here’s to counting down the last days of student life, and counting toward the first days of real library life.