This past Saturday, I had the privilege of attending my college's graduation ceremony. As members of the glee club, we were saying goodbye to many of our members, as well as performing America the Beautiful and the school's alma mater. As commencement commenced, I was hit with a wave of feelings I wasn't quite sure how to handle.
1. Boredom
The opening remarks are some of the driest, sappiest speeches you'll ever sit through. And boy, will you ever sit. I'm not sure how many obnoxious snaps I sent, but I'm pretty sure all my Snapchat friends hate me.
2. Interest
The featured commencement speaker is usually someone of note, and occasionally they'll have a speech actually worth listening to. Regis College was lucky enough to have Simone Campbell, SSS, a nun fighting against racism, wage inequality, and environmental destruction. Her speech was funny, informative, encouraging, and straight to the point.
3. Anticipation
When you realize that your friend is about to march across that stage, suddenly, that's all you can think about. Who cares about these other people? I saw that guy in the hallway once. Oh, she's a senior? Is she graduating early? Who even are these people? That's a lot of grad students. How many nurses do we have?
4. Excitement
And then, you hear it. Your friend's name. Maybe multiple friends, if you're lucky. That's when you go buck wild, raucous screaming and cheering and a whole lot of, "Go, best friend! That's my best friend!" Eight of the glee club members were leaving, along with even more of my friends and acquaintances. Needless to say, I lost my voice.
5. Bittersweetness
After all the matriculation madness and graduation gladness, you begin to realize that you and your friends are headed on separate paths now. Sure, you're happy for them, and you cherish the moments that you've shared, but their lives are headed in different directions now. Keeping in touch is absolutely essential, just like bringing a boatload of tissues for all those tears.
Graduation is an important milestone in many students' lives, so it's a great honor to be able to share that moment with a friend.
