Graduation

Welp, I can officially say that I did it. I have graduated from college. Saturday was a surreal day. Since I can remember, I have known that my class was the college class of 2013. But when you’re in third grade and it’s 2001, you never really believe that 2013 will actually come. Sitting with my class and listening to the dean talk about what a momentous occasion this was in our lives, everything started to hit me. I was graduating in a business school class of 300, and many of those 300 students were my friends. We were all moving onto the next part of our lives together.

I wasn’t expecting to be overwhelmed with emotion, and I had to fight back tears several times before getting my diploma (well, the fake diploma they give you when you cross the stage and shake all the important peoples’ hands. I feel like that is a deceitful formality!). Sidenote: what is up with the graduation hoods? They just look dumb and no one knows how to wear them. Awksauce.

Getting my "diploma"!

My high school graduation was very formal and strict. My class was a little under 1200 kids so it is understandable why it had to be that way. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this graduation was much more relaxed. I had gotten these cool, bright orange shutter shades from my friend before the graduation, but I was too scared to walk out wearing them. (My friends who gave them to me said they were going to, but I knew they would chicken out anyways) Once I got that “diploma” in my hands and sat down, I became so relieved, I immediately put the shades on and kept them on for the rest of the ceremony. The school photographer even took a picture of me and all my orange glory while we were all seated listening to the final remarks. I definitely ended my college career in a very good mood.

So, yes, though the day was very sad and unbelievable, I found a way to make light of it. And no, I don’t plan on looking at my grades from this past semester. They were probably a disaster and, after all, I graduated, and that is all that matters!

<3, Charlotte