That feeling has been very real for me. There's a lot going into that emotion, and I think none of it would sound new to the bulk of our cohorts here. You spend 16 years striving to earn a degree (in my household, anyway, 1st grade was a service done to the years following). Feels weird to see it transform from a moral inheritance from my parents to an 8'x11' piece of paper - it goes from your life's work to something passive and dull so quickly. I'm getting used to the feeling, though. I doubt it ever goes away, seems like one of those things you just learn how to tolerate. (sparkle sparkle)Out of the blue, beyond any cause you can trace, you'll suddenly realize things are not how you perceived them to be at all. For some reason, you will no longer be the person you believed you once were. You'll detect slow and subtle shifts going on all around you, more importantly shifts in you. Worse, you'll realize it's always been shifting, like a shimmer of sorts, a vast shimmer, only dark like a room. But you won't understand why or how.