Sacrifices.

Up until now there has been no real "book" writing. Mostly because I don't know where to begin. But now, on the eve of my departure into a new world, a new life in San Diego I feel that I should cherish the memories and face the horrors of my past in attempts to come to terms with myself and my many mistakes.

The single most common question that I've been asked these past two years being in college has been "What are you studying?" The easy answer that most people are given is "Bio" yet sometimes I go on further to pompously say, "Biology/Pre-med or Pre-Pharm." It was only when my uncle asked on the car ride home from Potbelly's in Dallas that I gave an elaborate explanation of my academic choice to study Biology. So I told him, my Bachelor of Science in Biology degree isn't the ending point, it's the starting point. This degree that I will hopefully obtain from USD will be a pre-requisite into the life that I'm trying to lead. To most students my age getting the undergrad degree done is the end point. After that it's nothing but work, marriage, settling down and then comes the baby in the baby carriage. For me, it's a stepping stone, just another rung on my ladder of life. It's something I have to complete in order to get to the next level. Right now I'm not really living the life that I've dreamed but everyday counts and I'm getting there slowly and of course, I've been enjoying it all along.

The past two years at State have been amazing but now it's time to bite the bullet and put all childish things aside and make sacrifices for the Nikita I'll become in the future. The Thirsty Thursday nights on campus will come to an abrupt halt, the hung-over in class and only half-heartedly paying attention will cease to exist, pulling all-nighter days will be a thing of the past, and that hyphy chick that most people believe I am will show her demise as I board that 747 and head back to San Diego to start over another Fall semester of real college. I've got two years, financially, to get what I need to get done in San Diego and the clock is ticking. I'll have to make sacrifices and I'll need to factor in coming home every few weekends to make sure my mom doesn't miss me too much. Additionally, I'll be 21 in a few short months and although this sounds like the best time of my life it'll be the time where life comes and slaps me in the face and I'll actually get a real grip on reality. I'll have to still remember what I'm in this for because time is of the essence and I'll have to trick her into believing that I can handle 16+ units of rigorous courses to ensure that I walk down that platform and receive my diploma before 12.20.12, at the very least.

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child,

I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child;

when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways"

-1 Corinthians 13:11