Graduation

So as most of you know I GRADUATED! And it was honestly the best feeling in the world, but what I didn't realize was I never wrote about it! I went from senior year straight to college years and totally forgot about the BIGGEST and BEST transition between them; graduation.

If you have/have not been to a graduation that is perhaps good and bad. Why bad, you may ask? Well personally I graduated with a class of over 500 so the ceremony did take a while but the good thing about it is seeing everyone's accomplishments.

For High Schoolers, at least for me, Graduation was more than just a diploma and the ritual cap and gown. It was more than becoming an official adult and looked forward to college and leave high school behind. Graduating was an accomplishments. It made me realize I went to school for 13+ years and I worked my butt off, perhaps sometimes I could have worked harder, but regardless I worked my butt off. 

Freshman year I didn't give a care in the world because I was in high school and eventually I would get my diploma and go to college regardless of what I get. By junior and senior year I realized in order to get into schools I wanted I changed my life I worked extra hard and I realized I wanted to go to this specific school and despite what I did freshman year I will show them how big of a change I can make. So I did I got my life together and made A's and B's (with some occasional C'a but sometimes that's okay). 

Graduation was my pride and joy because I finally accomplished so many years of school. Sure there were times I wanted to quit and just drop out but that's not who I am. I stuck it out and being able to walk the stage was the best feeling ever! 

So here was how my graduation went:

Well that morning I went with my mother and one of my aunts to go get our nails done before the ceremony. After that I went home to put some make up on and do my hair. Next was time to put on my dress and of course the cap and gown. It was time for me too leave. My mother took me so she could take pictures and I saw my friends so obviously it was picture time. After multiple multiple run through a it was time.

This was it, this was my time to shine. (The whole week leading up to Graduation I had this big fear I was going to fall on stage.) I was the first one in line, the first one to step out and have the world see me as the 2015 graduates from my school. As we took our seats I looked around, I looked at the many faces sitting beside me. I saw people I knew for so long and some people I met recently and some people I never knew. Regardless of that everyone made up their own part in this graduation, or in this school. After talking for what felt like hours it was time to walk. (So I had a honor roll ceremony and rushed off stage as my name was called so my mom told me the night before not to run off stage for Graduation). Well my name was called, remember running off stage? I couldn't do that this time so many people were watching me people in front of me, it just couldn't happen, and honestly I was okay with that. They said my name and I smiled and took the happiest and proudest walk of my life on that stage. I shook our Principal's hand and took a picture. I then proceeded to sit back down. 

Once the whole thing was over my friends and I hugged and said to sach other "WE ARE FINALLY DONE." That's what you would expect from a high schooler who just finished right? Once we walked out of the building it was packed, remember the 500 and over students? Yeah that many plus more because of families were all swarmed together, it was funny because everyone was just yelled for their families, no one was suppose to have phones. So you would hear "Mom." "Dad." "MOM." Coming from so many directions it was a mess. The one thing I would recommend on your graduation day is take your time. Enjoy this moment because you will have to wait 4+ years for another moment like this. I remember my family rushed me after the ceremony to get food, and the problem was I didn't get to take pictures with everyone I wanted. I think that is one moment I was sad to see happen, so just enjoy your moment because that day will be yours! 

Honestly though, high school was pretty great. I mean of course my best friend and I fought every other week and high school sucked, but high school wasn't so bad. I got my first heart break there, I found out what I wanted to be, I learned who I was there, I met friends, I realized how to stand up for myself, I learned that I love writing and that I am sometimes good at it. I realized where I wanted to go to college, and why. I realized that I wanted to make a difference in the world, and realized I could be creative without trying to so hard. I realized you can't please everyone. I learned so much in high school, just like I will, and have, in college. I spent 4 years in High School and will spend more in College, but this is all my experience and I don't regret any of it. So when you get to your graduation, don't rush through it. Slow down, enjoy it because it will be a while for there to be a moment like that again. Look around and realize that you are growing up, and that you may not be with these people who had such a great impact on your life again. Graduation is the first realization that we are growing up, but don't let it happen to quickly. Embrace all the challenges life has to offer you and take everything in slowly and enjoy your graduation day.

"It's funny how day by day, nothing changes, but looking back everything changed." -C.S. Lewis