Graduation

Yesterday was graduation day for UOP western Washington students. We all had to be there to help starting at 7:30 a.m. That's after a 45 minute drive up to Seattle. Needless to say, since I can never fall asleep before midnight, I was half asleep through the whole thing.

It was a nice ceremony (I hate having to resort to adjectives as bland as 'nice', but for some reason the correct descriptor eludes me at the moment). It was in Key Arena in the Seattle Center, by the Space Needle. There were 460 graduates. The whole thing went off with only a few bloopers, none of which were caused by me, thank God.

As mentioned in an earlier post wherever there is a gathering that involves emoting people, I pick up on that emotion. However it's really not the collective emotion that affects me, it's the little things: a father's face at a wedding, wondering how the years passed so quickly (you know, the whole "Sunrise, Sunset" thing). Or yesterday, happening to catch a glance of a graduate who appeared to be about 35, clutching his diploma and looking both wistful and proud. Even if the whole life story I saw in him at that moment was inaccurate, it was representative of the graduates in general.

When I graduated from college 26 years ago, I didn't want to take part in the graduation ceremony. I had a blase, 'big whoop, everyone graduates from college' attitude and I just saw it as the end of four years. Also, since I had transferred into my college as a junior, most of my friends were sophomores when I was graduating. My grandfather told me I'd regret it the rest of my life if I didn't participate in the ceremony. I knew at the time that wouldn't be true for me, but between that and my parents' desire to watch me graduate I went through with it. All I really remember was steaming out my black graduation gown in the shower (knowing me at that time in my life I had probably throw it into a wad on the floor when I first received it) while my friend Lou crimped my hair. Crimping made hair look like crinkle cut fries- it was an 80s thing.
After the ceremony, I don't remember any "Wow...now I'm a college graduate" feelings. The main thing I remember after the ceremony was getting into a battle of wills with a brownie at the reception that followed. The brownie won. Four years of overspending on my father's gold American Express card. Four years of throwing myself passionately into English, photography, and psychology classes, but blowing off the classes that didn't interest me. Four years. Done. Big deal.

The average age of the graduates yesterday was about 35. Many of them have familes and made a lot of sacrifices to get this degree. Many of them were the first in the family to graduate from college. Many of them saw graduating as a true accomplishment. It was impossible to not feel happy and excited for them.

By next June I'll have finished my master's degree. I really don't think I'll take part in the ceremony. It's just not my thing. But I will be proud of myself this time because with my ADD (self diagnosed, but I think it's undeniable) and adjusting to being a full-time cubicle dweller, it has been an accomplisment for me to stick with getting this degree. It hasn't been particularly taxing intellectually, but it's been a challenge to come home after a long day and have to crank out a 1,500 word paper. In ways I'm enjoying school, but like the graduates yesterday, I will definietly be happy when it's over.