Before I describe culture shock, you must understand where I come from. I come from the pinky of the Great Lakes State. It's a place which is small, relatively caucasian and still pretty conservative. My town doesn't allow tall skyscrapers and we have yet to get a Denny's or a Trader Joes. It's a place where hanging out at Meijer or driving the DT Loop is the Friday night entertainment. Everyone is connected in some way, and news travels fast.

That being said, I experience culture shock every time I travel. And I don't know that I'd call it "culture shock," because I'm not really shocked by what I see. It's simple exposure. Taking the train in Chicago, being the minority, visiting a restaurant where English isn't the first language, seeing the mountains, Las Vegas, not being able to visit a place because I'm not mormon... [the list goes on]

This is why visiting other places is fascinating to me. The first time I visited Chicago, I fell in love. I fell in love again when I went to Toronto. And again when I traveled out west. I love seeing how others live and thrive on those cultural differences even within our own country.

I think I will experience true culture shock when I travel to another country. England or Italy, anyone?

The end of an era - known as college - recently marked the beginning of another era, known as "the rest of my life."

It's still somewhat mind boggling to me to think that I am completely done with school. It's not just the end of high school, where I need to decide which post-secondary institution is a good fit; no, my friends, I have been hurled into "the rest of my life." I have no homework, no classes to register for, no using "I'm a poor college student," to gain sympathy, and no one asking me what I'm working towards.

I've done it. I've really fucking done it. Instead of telling people I'm working towards becoming a teacher, I can tell them I AM a teacher. I officially have my Bachelor of Arts in Language Arts, with an elementary distributed minor. I'm a teacher, ready to influence the minds of the next generation. I'm also engaged to be married next summer, and live with my fiance. Life is just cruising along!

As exciting as this all this, it's also a bit scary. I think we, as human, get absorbed in the moment. And so, when you're daily life involves college and all that comes with it, it feels natural and like it will never end. Sure, it seemed like a daunting task at times, but for the most part, it felt like what I should be doing. And now...BAM...it's done. I'm sure once September comes, reality will hit me even harder; for now, though, it's simply amazing to imagine that I am now applying for a teaching position, and I am simply beyond all that "college stuff."

Many of my friends are also finished with college or are close to finishing; some of them are married, or are engaged like myself. Some even already have children (or are about to). Time flying by fast is no joke my friends. It's a stark reality.

It's real easy to get absorbed in the moment and truly enjoy life. It's much harder to stop and say "WOW! How things have changed!" I look back to my favorite summer (we all have them) - the summer of 2005. This was a careless summer, full of adventures with my friends, and when Big&Slim became a classic pair. The things we did then we couldn't get away with this summer, that's for sure. And as much as I wish I could have that again, it's simply wonderful to look back and laugh. Oh, how fun life can be. And while I have stepped out of yet another era, this next one should be just as wonderful. As always, I promise to do my best to fully appreciate what is.

I don't know that I could share just one picture that makes me smile. In fact, I have a handful of photos that make me bust out laughing whenever I see them.

I don't know that I could share just one picture that makes me smile. In fact, I have a handful of photos that make me bust out laughing whenever I see them. Each picture I have in my collection is full of a memory, a moment in time during this crazy thing called life.

There's the picture of my littlest brother, Trevor, wearing a pair of glasses upside down; There's one of my other brothers, Garrett, wearing his infamous "funny face;" there's all the special moments my fiance Chad and I have shared; there's the trip to Toronto and Chicago; there's precious family photos that I will always treasure, and there's many pictures of my friends and all of our silliness.

There are also the photographs that bring me peace and tranquility: the many photos I have of the beautiful area I live in. Lakes, sunsets, rolling hills, and aging trees.

I have spent hours on my computer just perusing my collection...and it makes me appreciate everything I have every time I do.