Where Did All the Time Go?

Seriously, where did all the time go? I'm halfway through my first semester of business school, and I've already finished four of my core classes. In just a couple of weeks, it'll be Thanksgiving...the first one ever without my family. But luckily for me, I'm being adopted by my future family.

But more than just calendar time, how did time pass so quickly? I received a Save the Date magnet from one of my friends, and looked through the wedding website of another. I know of 8 couples getting married in 2007. These people come from all walks of my life -- family members, co-workers, college roommates, and high school friends. It seemed like just yesterday we were teenagers trying to figure out which college to attend. And here are my friends...getting married, having kids, and scary as it may be, saving lives.

Just yesterday, I received a letter letting me know that my 5th year reunion is coming up at Northwestern. That means that my 10th year reunion at GBN isn't that far behind. I've found that as I'm considering my next career, an important aspect for me to consider is work-life balance. Not because I want to see my friends more, but because I know that I want to start a family. The idea of spending 4 days on the road living out of a suitcase as a consultant just doesn't seem like the best way to start a family. Am I really at this point in my life where kids and family are starting to affect my decisions? What happened?