Today is my birthday, yet I am lacking in finding a reason to be excited about it.

I feel like I am already losing my hearing, I posses a wicked widows peak and my body aches more often than it should.

But there is some good news. Two weekends from now I will finally graduate from the University but I am still uncertain of the direction my life is going.

Even though I am not afraid to venture out to the big bad real world, I am good with the college lifestyle.

And to be honest, it is because of school that I temporarily forgot that my birthday was nearing.

I have been overwhelmed with planning a graduation party, mailing invites and my priorities at the newspaper; I am also moving in two days.

To top it off I am dealing with the run around at the Bursar office as to why UPS’ tuition assistance program has not covered my expenses. Needless to say turning 26 is not that big of a deal. In fact, I think we as a society make a bigger deal of birthdays than we should.

Last summer, I was all hyped about turning 25. But now I am having somewhat of a reality check.

I feel like I have matured a lot over the last year and I aspire to continue making strides each year.

One thing that stands out about turning 26, is that is how old my parents were when I was born.

Let me tell you, I am nowhere near starting a family. I am probably getting a dog before another girlfriend. Maybe I’ll shoot for a wife at age 30 and kids by 35.

I have never followed the paradigm of what you are supposed to be doing at a certain point in your life. I like to think that I am still young and have a lot ahead of me and I am in no rush to make it happen.

This is not to say that I am not a go-getter or an underachiever. In fact I am overly analytical when it comes to the priorities in my life.

I am grateful to have had the opportunities in making myself who I am.

One of my favorites quotes to live by is from Henry David Thoreau.

‘I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life … to put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.’

I appreciate the little things in life because I think that ultimately they add up and are just as influential as the big stuff.

And while today is my birthday, I do not have high expectations of attention and gifts.

It has literally been at least 10 years since I really wanted anything material for my birthday or Christmas.

Ironcially enough, my mother always seemed to plan an over the top surprise birthday party each year. And let me tell you, those years keep going by faster and faster.

As I have gotten older, I find myself wanting clothes, something I did not want when I was younger. Moreover, I would rather settle for money considering my responsibilities are piling up, thus bills.

In two months I am dreading having to start paying back my loans. But I am not worrying about the adversity I will face after graduating. I am actually welcoming it. I am always up for a challenge. What would life be without a little conflict?

But for now the biggest monkey in the world (graduating) will be off my back.

Someone once told me high school goes by fast and it sure did. College has passed even faster, despite the fact I have been here for as long as I have, ha.

I anticipate each birthday to come and go quicker and quicker, but I will cherish the days in between.

And for the record I prefer pie over cake.