Praise to thee, our alma mater....

Three years and nine months ago, I embarked on my collegiate journey, which started with awkward conversation, memorable late nights, and the promise of four academic years in which I could study what I wanted in preparation for eventual further studies. Today, that journey - complete with all the uncertainty, all the anxiety, and all the triumph - culminated in the one hundred and fifty fifth Commencement Exercises at the University of Wisconsin, in which I participated. Everything seemed so surreal leading up to today - taking the last exam of my undergraduate career, picking up my cap and gown, celebrating my imminent graduation with family and friends at a small gathering outside of town yesterday afternoon. The most surreal part of all of this was the walk to the Kohl Center today with my roommates - three of us clad in caps and gowns, ready to partake in the upcoming ceremonies. There were times walking the bike path to the arena where I took a deep breath and thought to myself, "This is all actually happening. I'm walking to my collegiate graduation - is it even possible?" And then, a mere two hours later............it happened. I took to the stage and shook the Chancellor's hand and just like that, it was over. As the graduates piled out of the Kohl Center to meet their families, Professor Mike Leckrone led the UW Band in playing "The Bud Song," better known as the catchy tune from the Fifth Quarter that ends with the famous line, "When you say Wisconsin, you've said it all!" As the band played and the graduates left and the arena cleared out slowly, I stood to the side of the exit, taking in that last hurrah as an undergraduate, listening to that famous anthem that I've heard time and time again in my nearly four years as a student here. And that's when the nostalgia kicked in and I realized how much I will truly miss the four years I spent here as a student. "When you say Wisconsin, you've said it all...."

Two UW-Madison alumni - Grandpa (Pharmacy Class of '56) and me (Letters and Science Class of '08)

What exactly is the "and then what?"

Hello all, and welcome to my feeble attempt at a blog. 

It is my hope to keep updating this blog somewhat regularly, so anyone who might read it (friends, family, random people from the blogosphere) can get the frank, candid update about what's going on in my life. So often I'm asked that fateful questions: "What are you doing? What do you plan to do? What's on your plate for the next year?" Well, it's with this blog that I hope, however indirectly, to answer some of those questions. 

I thought I'd start off the blog by actually explaining its title, "Beginning the 'and then what?'" The phrase "and then what?" comes from one of my high school teachers from my last semester of senior year, Mr. McCaffrey. He repeatedly shared with us a story of taking his wife to a restaurant in my hometown, where he proceeded to strike up a conversation with the waitress. Eventually, she informed him that she was a dance major at the local state university, to which he (rather dryly) replied, "Oh, that's nice - and then what?" - meaning, great, you're a dance major....but after college, what do you plan on doing with that? It probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense; you probably would need to have met Mr. McCaffrey to have the total effect of the story. But it was hilarious when I first heard it five long spring semesters ago, during my last hurrah in high school. 

I'm calling this blog "Beginning the 'and then what?'" because that's exactly what I'm doing. For eight wonderful semesters (and five weeks abroad one summer) I have studied two subjects very dear to me - political science and Italian. But then the question comes - what exactly am I going to do with that? That's what I'm out to discover - it's a little scary, but it's also really exciting at the same time. I wish I could write more, but in order to start the "and then what?" of my life, I have to finish off two papers for an Italian literature class that are due to be consegnati (handed in) tomorrow.  

A presto, tutti....a presto! (Until later, all!)

UPDATE: In February of 2011 I changed the title of this blog to, quite simply, "The 'and then what?'"  It had been almost three years since the inception of the blog, and I felt as though the "beginning" stage (interning, getting married, beginning my vocation) had concluded and now, I'm squarely in the 'and then what?' - that fateful ether of life where, quite frankly, I am attempting to figure out just how God might be calling me to serve Him in this world.  Sorry for the confusion (if any)!  

And for those souls of the blogosphere that are stopping in, whether for your first, second, tenth, or perhaps last, time - welcome.  It is good to have you here.