One Year Later
As I sat at the ASU Student-Athlete Graduation ceremony earlier this week, I couldn’t help but think of what all was going through my mind just a year ago and how much has changed since I was the one up on the stage graduating.
At this time last year, I was intensely focused on what would be my final Pac-12 Conference Championship meet — which I had yet to score at — all while trying to soak in all the festivities of graduation. I was caught between two exciting things in my life.
I had the honor of speaking at this ceremony last year, as well as being recognized as the Bill Kajikawa Award winner for Most Outstanding Senior Male Athlete. This is one of the highest honors as a Sun Devil athlete and I couldn’t even begin to explain how thankful I am to have received it.
Getting to share these accomplishments with my friends and family was beyond rewarding. All the hard work, late nights, and finessing that comes along with earning your college degree was finally put to bed, but I still had no clue what was next.
It was the beginning of May. I had been accepted into the Master of Sports Law and Business program at ASU but currently had no way to pay for it. I was still debating on whether or not I wanted to continue to pursue track after college but that was going to be dependent on how Pac-12’s and Regionals went.
It felt like everyone else had a plan of what was next and I was just winging it. Looking back, most people don’t have a plan so it’s never worth beating yourself up about and sometimes winging it gives you the best results.
I just remember emotions hitting hard and thinking about how many “lasts” I would experience in the upcoming weeks. It was a mix of overwhelming appreciation for how much I loved getting to be a Sun Devil student-athlete and anxiousness from not knowing what the future would hold.
Well, the future is now and I’d say — so far, so good. Over this past year I thought I was supposed to be further along — with what, I could not tell you — or doing something else or making more money (still working on that one), but I’m starting to realize I’m right where I need to be and right where I want to be at this time.
I ultimately decided that I wanted to keep training and I’m so glad I did for a multitude of reasons. I ended up entering the Sports Law and Business program and having it paid for through a Graduate Assistant position. The two things I was most worried about ended up working themselves out. Told ya winging it can give you good results.
If you told Mason from one year ago what he was doing today, he would say, “That’s freakin’ sick,” or “That fires me up,” or something equally as Mason-esque. Both past Mason and current Mason are pretty excited with his current situation.
My life isn’t super glamorous or exotic, but I can honestly say that I’m enjoying it. Even when I complain about whatever unimportant thing it is I find myself complaining about, I always come back to the thought that this whole thing is pretty cool. Which has led me to learning more about myself everyday.
I’m starting to find the things that I am really good at, as well as the things I am not really good at. I’m beginning to find the things that I am passionate about and not so passionate about. And, I’m further investing in the relationships of those that want to see me succeed and vice versa.
I’ve been saying it for awhile now but the year after graduation is just weird. Nobody knows what they’re doing. Trust me.
As weird as this past year has been, I have picked up a couple of great pieces of advice:
- No decision is a bad decision.
- Do the things that you enjoy.
Obviously, there is a caveat to no decision is a bad decision. There’s plenty of bad decisions. Anything that leads you to getting arrested or hurting other people is a bad decision. But, this advice is directed more towards when there are two opportunities in front of you. This job or that job. This opportunity or that opportunity. This city or that city.
Stressing on two good options because you’re worried one of them secretly isn’t a good option is a tremendous waste of time. Think it through, decide, and make the most of it.
Do the things that you enjoy is actually something a good friend of mine preaches all the time. If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, you’ll never be able to put your full self into that job or project or whatever it may be.
Incorporating those two pieces of advice into my life has made the rough waters of postgraduate life a bit calmer.
Congratulations to all the 2019 graduates, you’re in for a fun ride. To all my postgraduates, keep pushing, keep doing what you love, and keep pursuing whatever makes you happy.
