What having finished means

I'm three days shy of finishing my degree. In the words of the fabulous Bethany, this is what it means:
I don't have to spend 12hours/day at the lab. I don't have to sit in front of the computer for 3 of the hours that I am at home. I don't have to study on weekends. I can go out. I can read FICTION, and watch movies, and go shopping (window-shopping if finances are strained). I can have HOLIDAYS. Think about it - real people in real jobs get four weeks of holidays a year. I've had squat, so far. So, four weeks gets me to Christmas, and I can think about it after that. I can put my creativity to good use making Christmas cards or presents. I could earn money from my folks from doing household tasks that they haven't got time to do. (I said 'could', not that I have to, or that I would enjoy it.)
What else finished means: I've earned my degree. They will give me a piece of paper next April. I will get to wear a funny hat while they do it.
And as for next year? Well, I can choose. And if I get it "wrong" (but how will I know, I mean, really KNOW - maybe if it's not what I want, then that's just what has to happen for me to realise that that's not what I want. Nobody lives a perfect, mistake-free life.) then I can choose again, differently. And not making a choice is still choosing. Stuff will happen, regardless of whether I make a choice, but if I do something it will influence the stuff that happens.