Big Shoes to Fill

Tonight I went to the McNair Scholar Dinner. I have a large scholarship at USC, and so they throw a big dinner for us in the spring to honor the seniors. Mr. and Mrs. McNair, the people who fund the scholarship, came too. It was such an honor to even be in the same room as them.

The food was delicious, everyone looked gorgeous, and the people at my table were wonderful. The president of the university was there, as well as the provost, and they both spoke. One of the seniors also gave a speech. Everything was just delightful.

After the meal, they introduced all the seniors, told us their major, and told us their plans for after graduation. These are some of the most accomplished people you will ever meet. I was flabbergasted. Some of course were going on to medical school or law school or graduate school. They all had marvelous plans to become these amazing things. Some were going on to unbelievable adventures. One girl is moving to Danali park in Alaska for a few monthes. One girl, who's graduating early, is going to start her own business. Another is going to be a scuba instructor in the Caribbean before going into work involving the education and interfield relations around marine science issues. And one guy, I could hardly believe this, did his senior thesis around traveling from China to Paris on a motorcycle, by himself over the summer, and now he's going to move to China and invest in a chicken farm. After he makes a ton of money (because Chinese agriculture is going to boom in the next 5 years) he's going to buy a motorcycle and explore the Chinese countryside.

The whole time I kept thinking to myself, what will I say? where will I be going? What will Jan proudly explain to the room about me? I'm hoping there will be slightly more to say than, this is Jackie, she's a chemistry major, and she's going to graduate school somewhere.