There are only a few moments when I feel comfortable posting thoughts on life, but I suppose that the end of the beginning, in my case graduating from business school, moving back home, and getting married, is one of them.

During my final days of undergrad at Tufts, I remember clinging to every moment. My closest friends and I built a literal bonfire out of cardboard and beer boxes in our Cambridge, Mass backyard so we wouldn’t have to go to sleep the night before graduation. Our final days were a whirlwind of harebrained schemes designed to squeeze the juice out of every day. I was so worried that these friendships would end and the feeling of our time together could never be recaptured.

I did not have that feeling when I left home for college. I was sad to leave my two younger brothers and my parents. I was unsure of what my future would hold, but I knew that thanksgiving, winter break, and summer would come. My family would be home and my friends would return. That’s not to say I wasn’t nervous (I was), but I knew that I barely understood myself and I needed to explore to grow.

Even at Microsoft, my first job out of undergrad and at a company that can support a long and stable career, I expected change. Just five months after starting work, I learned I would be moving to Microsoft’s Beijing office. A month after returning from Beijing, I presented to Bill Gates. I’m incredibly proud of the work we did with Fluid Framework and Microsoft Loop, but I was in over my head for most of those five years. Life at Microsoft never felt settled. I was certain that Kira and I would leave Seattle and the Microsoft/Fluid chapter would end.

Most importantly, I knew I would have to prove to myself that I could create big things rather than just be a part of them.

But the last two years felt different.

At MIT, for the first time, I felt the instinct to double down on my strengths. Software engineering projects led me to new and interesting friendships, personal interests led to incredible events, and hobbies led to the formation of new communities.

Over the last two years, I hosted 39 events with 4,100+ total attendees, I helped more than 20 founders find financing or create companies, and continued to create software with CRDTs, realtime consensus algorithms, local-first concepts, crypto, and AI.

The end of the beginning does not mean that there won’t be change: from June 1st to October 1st, I will graduate, move twice, start a new job, and, most importantly, get married to Kira, my wonderful partner of 10 years.

I could not be more excited to begin the middle. I will nurture new communities, build companies, learn new skills, start a family, and continue to tinker, play, and create.

I just plan to do so on more solid footing, with clearer goals, and a stronger sense of self.