Final Days & First Rides
26 Days until Graduation.32 Days until I hop on a train to New York City.I've had this discussion with a bunch of people on the team, and basically because of I4k, it doesn't quite feel like I'm graduating.What makes our final days on campus so strange is that we pass through a series of "Lasts."It's easy to pinpoint some of these moments."This is the last class I'll ever attend.""This is the last presentation I'll ever give for class.""This is my last Thursday night on campus."But other "Lasts" are harder to recognize."Was that the last time I'll see that professor?""Is this the last time me and my friends will all be in one place?""Is this my last time grabbing food at Torticas?!"Whether I'm talking with my roommates or just lying on my bed listening to my "Graduation" playlist on Spotify, it's interesting to think about how the lives we've known for the past four years are going to be radically different after graduation.But like I said, I4k has been pretty successful in taking my mind off of all this graduation nonsense. What's exciting is that I4k is a challenge and with that challenge comes a series of "Firsts."Here's a quick dozen of them:- My first bike ride.- My first time clipping in.- My first fall because I forgot to unclip.- My first crash with teenage hooligans.- My first training ride.- My first time using callouts.- My first time riding in the rain.- My first time trying to figure out what callout to use for a dead deer on the side of the road.- My first time cramping up and literally sitting on the side of the road.- My first time riding with no hands.- My first 60 mile ride.- My first I4tanlines.And honestly, each of these "Firsts" gets more exciting than the last.So yeah. Maybe I am graduating in 26 days. But in 32 days I'm starting a completely new adventure. And sure, maybe it's my last month to live it up on these old stomping grounds, but isn't it about time to leave my mark somewhere else?I'm ready. #LeggoAs a bonus, here's a snippet from our training ride on Saturday:Kathleen: Remember when we said the craziest thing we would ever do is "skydive?"Kevin: Yeah.Kathleen: Remember when we're biking across the country this summer?Kevin: LOL