Like going to any important event, attending a commencement comes with mixed feelings. On the one hand, you are immensely proud of your loved one for graduating from their high school or college. On the other hand, you do not want them to leave you for their next adventure. Here are some GIFs that show what we all look like before, during, and after a commencement ceremony.
1.
There are many reasons that you would be sleep deprived walking into commencement. Maybe you were up celebrating the last night of the school year, saying goodbye to your friends, worrying about your significant other graduating, or doing a combination of the three. Commencements often take place at 9 or 10 in the morning and are full of coffee-fueled zombies.
2.
Due to the time of year, if you are lucky enough to get a sunny day, it often becomes too hot. Sitting in the sun for a couple of hours can be brutal, and makes the ceremony seem even longer than it actually was. You find yourself feeling like Spongebob in Sandy's tree dome, begging for water.
3.
Eventually, you forget about the heat because you are surprisingly interested in what one of the speakers has to say. Or maybe you have just been sitting there for too long.
4.
The motivational speeches give you a lot to think about, but then you realize it is the part when you sit there and listen to 1,000 names being called. This will be a long day....
5.
If many of your friends are graduating, you keep up with the list in the program to make sure you do not miss any important names. This is actually a good way to pass the time.
6.
This may be a little extreme, but it is how you feel inside when you watch a loved one receive their diploma. The tears are a combination of pride from their accomplishment and sadness that they are either growing up or leaving your school.
7.
You may feel like crying, but you cheer for your friends because of their accomplishments. Also, they need to have the loudest fans in the audience to prove that they are the most loved.
8.
When the person you are there for can finally leave, you are the first to hug them in their cap and gown. Now it is really time to celebrate!
