A cup of coffee...

 A cup of coffee. That’s what my post graduate education boils down to. Vague and random though it may sound, it’s as apt a description as any. Of course, to fully grasp this, I would have to have to start from the beginning and from the beginning I shall.

 This journey began 2 years ago, as a freshman at a prestigious Scandinavian university, where I sought to better mysef through education. In order to size up the enormity of this, we would have to go back even further. Said freshman had arrived upon the footsteps of said Scandinavian land with nothing but the clothes on his back. From these humble beginnings, he rose and grew, gaining knowledge along the way, seeking the means by which he could better himself for the eventual future where he would be at the mercy of the ever so cruel world.
 I’ll forgo the aforementioned ambiguity. This is me, this my story. For years, I sought to continue my education, but for reasons that I shan’t get into, it wasn’t a viable option until just recently. Upon acquiring the necessary requirements, I set out for the great city where I was to attain my education. Standing before it, before the monstrous arena of knowledge, I couldn’t help but feel small. I stood before a great institution, a place of higher learning with a rich history of academic excellence and global contribution. Immediately, questions began to swirl in my mind. “Am I cut out for this? Can I actually keep up with the course load? Would I actually be able to graduate”?
 I remember my first day being completely racked with overwhelming nerves, compromising my ability to function. Upon setting foot on campus, I couldn’t think clearly. It wasn’t until I had entered and found the cafeteria that I managed to get a cup of coffee. And at that first sip, I suddenly regained my bearings.

 For those who don’t know me that well, my coffee addiction came as a result of my attempt to quit smoking by substituting it with the aforementioned. However, instead of relieving myself of my previous addiction, I simply took on another. I guess life’s simply ironic that way.
 What proceeded from that first cup was a whirlwind of classes, courses, assignments, late nights & weekends at school which was culminated by an intensive contribution to the academic community with my own original piece of research. Coupled with the demands of life, i.e. working to earn a living and exercising to keep my body functioning, I found myself to be pushed to my extreme limits, both physically and mentally. And yet something unexpected happened.
 I approached this experience initially with a sense of detachment, simply hoping to get in and get out, without having to indulge in any of the inanities that would come from “socializing” with my classmates. While the motives behind that can be debated, the main aim was simply protection. And yet, by sheer dumb luck, in a moment of weakness or opportunity, an opening was achieved where a connection was established with simply one person. That connection gave way to another and another and another. What came from this wasn’t just an education and certificate that would benefit me in the long run, but the formation of friendships and contacts that I hope will further me along in life.
 I suppose I realized in the end that the aim of this experience wasn’t simply to get an education. It was to get an experience. One that was meant to further mold and shape me, into the person I’m supposed to be, if not the person I am now. In the end, as I walk out of this fine establishment for the last time, I leave with not just a degree, but with a sense that I had undergone a transformation of sorts, all with the underlying purpose of making me a better man.

 So, as I sit here for the final time, having what will probably be the last cup of coffee I will have here, I suppose the only true sentiment I have, the only genuine feeling I’m experiencing right now is gratitude. So, to the people and the institution that contributed to my development, thank you.

 From here on out, the road is unclear yet bright. Though I would hope for a smooth ride, experience has taught me that that is as unlikely as immortality or a green sky. Instead, what I can and do hope for is to be able to cross paths with those who have share this experience with me somewhere down the line and trade stories. Preferably, over a cup of coffee.