 |
| Booyah! I made it! |
Graduation day finally arrived, and it was quite surreal. Even though I was already awarded my degree in February (since I finished mid-year), I still had to wait until June. Problem was, I already spent all the emotional stuff for when I was awarded my degree that I actually forgot to save some for the actual day.
And yet, I somehow managed to tap into my reserve and find some emotion. I saw the people I traveled with on this academic journey and I actually started to finally feel it. At one point, I still couldn't believe I was about to graduate. I felt like I was on top of the world. I felt invincible.
That is...until the first speaker took the stand. To sum up his speech, he basically told us we are royally screwed. He said we are graduating into a world with no jobs and all that (which is true), but did very little to actually motivate us. The motivational part came from the second speaker, which managed to fix the mood and actually inspire some of us. But then, the band took the stage and played the most ironic song they could ever play at a graduation.
They played the theme from Titanic.
I started looking around to see if there was any water nearby, because I felt like this graduation was sinking like the Titanic. Everybody was confused. Why play that song at a graduation? Are we supposed to go look for life boats or something? Do the employed grads get early access to those very life boats? I don't know, but it was strange.
And the graduation carried on, until it was time to pick up diplomas. At last, I was going to get what was mine. All those years of hard work have paid off. I was starting to get real emotional, that is, until I saw how they were handling it. We formed a big line and were handed our "diploma holders" as we passed by, and then we had to return to our seats. So our emotional moment was somehow turned into a line of free samples from Costco. They were handing out the diplomas like the newest experimental blend of iced tea. And we only got the case, especially since our diplomas weren't printed yet. So I have to wait to get my real diploma, but at least I have the nifty holder.
Oh well. I just hope to see my diploma soon.
And yet, I somehow managed to tap into my reserve and find some emotion. I saw the people I traveled with on this academic journey and I actually started to finally feel it. At one point, I still couldn't believe I was about to graduate. I felt like I was on top of the world. I felt invincible.
That is...until the first speaker took the stand. To sum up his speech, he basically told us we are royally screwed. He said we are graduating into a world with no jobs and all that (which is true), but did very little to actually motivate us. The motivational part came from the second speaker, which managed to fix the mood and actually inspire some of us. But then, the band took the stage and played the most ironic song they could ever play at a graduation.
They played the theme from Titanic.
 |
| Not the best song for a graduation, right? |
I started looking around to see if there was any water nearby, because I felt like this graduation was sinking like the Titanic. Everybody was confused. Why play that song at a graduation? Are we supposed to go look for life boats or something? Do the employed grads get early access to those very life boats? I don't know, but it was strange.
And the graduation carried on, until it was time to pick up diplomas. At last, I was going to get what was mine. All those years of hard work have paid off. I was starting to get real emotional, that is, until I saw how they were handling it. We formed a big line and were handed our "diploma holders" as we passed by, and then we had to return to our seats. So our emotional moment was somehow turned into a line of free samples from Costco. They were handing out the diplomas like the newest experimental blend of iced tea. And we only got the case, especially since our diplomas weren't printed yet. So I have to wait to get my real diploma, but at least I have the nifty holder.
 |
| Our line for the diploma felt like waiting for an iPad. |
Oh well. I just hope to see my diploma soon.
It may not have been what you expected, but it was still quite an achievement. Congratulations. By the way, it took me thirty years to get my diploma. It has Ronald Reagan's signature ( stamp) on it.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations :)
ReplyDelete