If my memory serves me correctly which at this point is a 50-50 shot at best, this week marks exactly 10 years since I graduated with a B.S. Degree in Print Journalism.

Just for clarity’s sake, a B.S. Degree is of course a Bachelor of Science, but I’ve heard all of the jokes about how it could easily stand for the other B.S. phrase that I won’t repeat here.

I actually used to get a little miffed that it was considered a Science Degree and not Art, since that’s what I considered the work that I did and do. With a tad bit more maturity under my belt… Actually, scratch that. I don’t like the way that sounds.

After some growing up, I realize that the degree designation is definitely appropriate.

I can still vividly remember that day. I graduated in the morning session on a Saturday. The night before, just like when I graduated high school, I had an anxiety dream that something had happened and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get to the graduation ceremony in time.

Luckily that was a dream, and everything went smoothly. The butterflies are what come back to me most clearly though. It’s one of the most interesting and complex feelings I can recall having in my life as a number of contradicting emotions were colliding in my stomach.

There was an immense feeling of pride and accomplishment on that morning. At that time, there weren’t a lot of college graduates in my family and then add to that the fact that I actually stuck with something and saw it through, I was pretty proud that morning.

Entering college was daunting in and of itself, but there was also the added trouble of me breaking my ankle about a week before my first semester started. With some help from family, though, I got through it.

If I close my eyes, I can still hear the cheers of that small but mighty group cheering for me as I walked across the stage the day of graduation.

An overwhelming happiness came over me when I realized I wouldn’t have to study for anymore tests (to the extent that I actually did) or that I wouldn’t have to worry about getting assignments in by deadlines (an irony considering I work in a field reliant on them). There’s was a feeling of sadness, too though, as a chapter of my life was coming to a close.

I can also remember there being a slight feeling of regret looking back on the college tenure that had just ended. I had this annoying habit of not fully embracing opportunities until the opportunity was nearing its completion.

My time in high school was mostly me being shy and nervous all the time until my senior year when I decided to actually enjoy what little time I had left in the building.

College was the same way. It wasn’t until I was fully immersed in the Journalism program that I allowed myself to breathe. Fortunately, when I did, a slew of good memories were made.

Working for MTSU’s newspaper, Sidelines, was a highlight of my tenure at my alma mater. As part of the curriculum for graduation, I took a practicum course where I worked for the paper to receive hours needed to pass the class and graduate.

While I got to cover a lot of cool stories and meet a lot of good people, the most interesting highlight of that time was working on the True Blue Quiz Show, a production of Sidelines where a host and camera crew asked random students quiz questions about MTSU.

The premise was pretty simple, and the show didn’t require a lot of exhaustive effort, but the host, a fellow senior who went by the mononym Goochie, was a never-ending stream of ridiculousness in the most fun way possible.

I never actually learned what his real name was, and there are moments occasionally where I’ll quietly question whether Goochie was real or just a figment of my imagination. Then I remember that I graduated, so those practicum hours must’ve come from somewhere.

Those and other memories from my college years bring me a great deal of joy. It was a good four years, and it’s been an even better decade that’s followed.