Trying to encapsulate...
...failing.
Fair warning: my powers of summary are going to seriously crap out here. Writing about this weekend feels like an injustice in and of itself, but oh well - it's a necessary catharsis.
SO.
Graduation was surreal. My older brother Chris walked across the stage just before me; I'm so proud of the both of us for making it - no matter that he took a bit longer than me. ;) It all happened so quickly that I was a bit sad... I didn't get to track down half the people I wanted to for a quick goodbye. However, one of my English professors - the former head of the department, in fact - whom I've respected and been intimidated by for years now, stopped my mother as we were walking away. The praise she proceeded to shower me with was... well, let's just say it made all that recent slaving over papers feel worth it. I think I was glowing as I cowered.
Moving out and driving away from Concordia the very next day, my car full to the brim with dormstuff, was possibly even more surreal. The consciousness had been trickling in little by little as I packed: I wasn't going back. Sure, I'd probably drive up through the Ridgeline gates again someday for one reason or another, but it wouldn't be as a student. It wouldn't be me going home.
The event I was driving to at that moment - my bridal shower - blew my mind open some more. It was far more magnificent than any bridal shower has a right to be. I suspected this might be the case when my Aunt Jane first volunteered to throw it for me; she not only has a jaw-droppingly beautiful house, but a penchant for going above and beyond as a hostess. This was certainly no exception. When I first tried to envision things like my bridal shower, the thoughts that came were akin to: "But who would bother throwing it, and who would bother showing up..." Um. HUMBLED. My old high school buddies drove all the way from Arcadia just to be there for a few hours - same with my aunt and cousins from San Diego. One aunt flew down from San Francisco for both my graduation and the shower. And both of my grandmothers were there, which was indescribable. HELLO, I'm your granddaughter getting married!
Then there's the gifts - o em gee. These were not shower gifts. THEY WERE WEDDING GIFTS. I think I ran out of superlatives trying to convey to people how bowled over I was by their generosity. Holy frell. I need a new apartment like, YESTERDAY. (And I need to restock the registries like mad.) It just kills me knowing that all of these incredible things are going to be sitting in boxes in my parent's garage until Luke and I get our life together. Wow.
Also, due to more INSANE GENEROSITY on the graduation front, I now have enough money to buy myself a brank spankin' new MacBook. Which I've been dreaming about for... oh, just about ever. !!! Talk about a massive jumpstart to my future career - which I know will involve writing in some capacity - not to mention my long-dormant creative life. Dudes. I'm still researching and debating with myself, but yeah, the gut tells me a visit to the Apple store is gonna happen - and soon.
And the rest goes toward the honeymoon.
...my life is way too exciting right now. I think I need a nap.
Fair warning: my powers of summary are going to seriously crap out here. Writing about this weekend feels like an injustice in and of itself, but oh well - it's a necessary catharsis.
SO.
Graduation was surreal. My older brother Chris walked across the stage just before me; I'm so proud of the both of us for making it - no matter that he took a bit longer than me. ;) It all happened so quickly that I was a bit sad... I didn't get to track down half the people I wanted to for a quick goodbye. However, one of my English professors - the former head of the department, in fact - whom I've respected and been intimidated by for years now, stopped my mother as we were walking away. The praise she proceeded to shower me with was... well, let's just say it made all that recent slaving over papers feel worth it. I think I was glowing as I cowered.
Moving out and driving away from Concordia the very next day, my car full to the brim with dormstuff, was possibly even more surreal. The consciousness had been trickling in little by little as I packed: I wasn't going back. Sure, I'd probably drive up through the Ridgeline gates again someday for one reason or another, but it wouldn't be as a student. It wouldn't be me going home.
The event I was driving to at that moment - my bridal shower - blew my mind open some more. It was far more magnificent than any bridal shower has a right to be. I suspected this might be the case when my Aunt Jane first volunteered to throw it for me; she not only has a jaw-droppingly beautiful house, but a penchant for going above and beyond as a hostess. This was certainly no exception. When I first tried to envision things like my bridal shower, the thoughts that came were akin to: "But who would bother throwing it, and who would bother showing up..." Um. HUMBLED. My old high school buddies drove all the way from Arcadia just to be there for a few hours - same with my aunt and cousins from San Diego. One aunt flew down from San Francisco for both my graduation and the shower. And both of my grandmothers were there, which was indescribable. HELLO, I'm your granddaughter getting married!
Then there's the gifts - o em gee. These were not shower gifts. THEY WERE WEDDING GIFTS. I think I ran out of superlatives trying to convey to people how bowled over I was by their generosity. Holy frell. I need a new apartment like, YESTERDAY. (And I need to restock the registries like mad.) It just kills me knowing that all of these incredible things are going to be sitting in boxes in my parent's garage until Luke and I get our life together. Wow.
Also, due to more INSANE GENEROSITY on the graduation front, I now have enough money to buy myself a brank spankin' new MacBook. Which I've been dreaming about for... oh, just about ever. !!! Talk about a massive jumpstart to my future career - which I know will involve writing in some capacity - not to mention my long-dormant creative life. Dudes. I'm still researching and debating with myself, but yeah, the gut tells me a visit to the Apple store is gonna happen - and soon.
And the rest goes toward the honeymoon.
...my life is way too exciting right now. I think I need a nap.