This is IT!

No, this isn't going to be a post about the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death... although I did hear Thriller this morning on my way to work and it just made me smile. Love that song...

However, the IT I'm referring to is my LAST DAY OF WORK! If you've been relentlessly stalking every day even though you already know the number is only going to be one less than the previous day following my countdown in the margin like I have, you have probably noticed that it has finally reached zero! I've turned in my exit survey, turned in my keys (actually, they turned my pass card off already, which meant I had to pound furiously on the door this morning so I could get in), and said most of my goodbyes.

I cried about it last night.

I don't think I was sad... it was more of a huge rush of all types of emotions that just flooded me at once. It's hard to describe, but I'll try. First of all, this company has been a part of my life for much longer than the 8 years I've worked here. Yeah - Eight. Years. I'm 25. Eight years at one company when you're 25 is a huge deal. I started here when I was 17 and it's pretty much the only company I've ever worked for (unless you count the year I worked as a cashier for Goodwill. I try to block those memories from my mind. ugh...). But my mom, stepdad, aunt, and stepsister have also worked for the same company. My stepdad has worked here for 30+ years! (No, that's not how I got the job) So I've felt like I was part of the extended company family since I was a child.

I've come full circle here - ending in a cubicle that's not too far from where it all started. This journey has taken me from a co-op high school position that I used only because I wanted a job, to changing my college major from graphic design to finance, to working as a part time teller, mortgage sales assistant, and credit analyst, to being able to work in all areas of the state, and finally, back here in my hometown where it all started. It's funny to think that I wasn't even slightly interested in keeping this job after I left for college. Eight years later, I'm finally saying goodbye.

I think the emotions I'm feeling are excitement, anxiety, nostalgia, fear, and ok, maybe a little bit of sadness. I told Josh last night that as much as I dislike my job, I'm going to miss coming to work every day. I can honestly say that I love the people I work with and those who have already moved on to bigger and better things. I would never have lasted this long in a career I'm not meant to be in if I hated my coworkers. Sure, I have my moments when I want to strangle some of them, but overall I have met some amazing people here. I'm still friends with people I worked with years ago in a different city and position, and I'm even friends with customers I met when I was a teller. One of my very best friends is someone who I worked with face-to-face for only 6 months over 2 years ago, and I have a very dear friend/former coworker who is 30+ years older than me. It's so strange how you never know how the smallest interaction with someone will affect your life and grow into so much more.

So, this is officially my last post as a Banker By Day... I'm now a grad student and soon-to-be Teacher Assistant. I'm excited, nervous, scared... but I'm ready.