After 5 years I’ve finally obtained my Bachelor’s Degree from UCF. For 5 years I’ve called Orlando my home. For 23 years, Florida has been my only home. Now that I’ve graduated, it’s time to start my next chapter. I’ll always be a Florida girl. Honestly, I’ll probably end up back here eventually. But soon I’ll start up a life in Maryland!
I’ll be moving to Lexington Park, Maryland on August 28. I’m finishing this week in Orlando, spending the next in Jacksonville to catch up with friends and spend time with family.
I took that trip to Maryland to scope out the area and make sure that I would actually even like the area. But as much as I love the south, I completely adored it. That trip confirmed that this is my next step in life. It’s far, and it’s different. But I refuse to stay comfortable.
My post graduate plans mainly revolve around this business. This business is my baby and I’m completely obsessed with it. With having to balance it with 15 credit hours a semester, a part-time job, and a social life, I feel that having being this successful is promising. I want to see how it can blossom with it finally being my main priority. However, I’m used to having a lot on my plate so that won’t be the only thing I’m working on. I’ll have so much free time now that I’m a graduate! Here are a couple of things that I’ll be doing other than my business.
1 | My health.
I used to be really fit, but I pretty much let go of that last December if I were to be completely honest. I don’t run anymore (I used to run 2-3 miles 5 times a week) and I hardly lift. My initial plan is to make sure I’m hitting the gym on a consistent basis for weight training, and obviously getting back into running. Long term goals: run another half marathon before the end of the year + possibly get into powerlifting and competing. At least once. It may not be my thing but I won’t know until I try!
2 | Studying for the GRE.
Being a student has been my main priority for the past 18 years of my life. + I won’t stop here. I said I would never go to grad school because I just want to be done with schooling, + I can’t really say I have solid plans to really go, but I want the option to be there. Plus, I want something else to keep me busy.
3 | Getting a Full-time job.
A federal, full-time job specifically. It would not only supplement my income, especially while I start to establish myself in Maryland, but it’s also a great way to make friends. This is kind of a no-brainer.
I’ve spent the past 2 years establishing my business in Central Florida. I’ve built up a good clientele and get plenty of inquiries. I am proud of how well my business has done here, + I love doing graduation portraits for UCF students, but I will no longer be around for that. (Okay, MAYBE I’m thinking about coming back for 2 weeks for Spring to do photos.) However, I’m confident that my business will thrive even more than it does now when I move up to Lexington Park. I will be located right next to a naval base (NAS Patuxent River), so I've got a good hunch that my main audience will be families -- more specifically, Navy families -- and I am more than okay with that having grown up in a Navy town/family myself (NAS Jacksonville)!
Know anyone in Maryland who needs professional photos done? Send them my way!
While I’m sad to leave what I’ve known for the past 23 years, I’m excited to start something new. Again, I never want to get too comfortable somewhere.
T-minus 9 days until I leave for Maryland!