Graduation
So, I graduated high school yesterday.
It was fun, and yet it sucked at the same time. We had it outside because it was supposed to be nice. As soon as we walked out...it started to rain. And because everything was set up already, we had it outside anyway. That wasn't fun. However, the actual ceremony was nice. I've been in this school system for 12 years (I've lived in this town since I was 3) so when events that we did in elementary school and such were mentioned, I couldn't help but get teary-eyed. The caps and gowns were annoying (and they were white, shich sucked). I took pictures beforehand, and I managed to get a picture of my two best friends together (they don't like to get pictures taken). Granted, neither of them actually posed, but it's more amusing that way. I managed to get a hug from all of my friends when it was over, I saw my favorite teachers in the front row, and I walked by them after I got my diploma. My English/modern lit teacher gave me a thank you card for the giftcard-thing the modern lit class did for him a couple weeks ago and it was really poignant. I went home for a few hours, saw family friends, got a beautiful cake, and got a few hundred dollars from them (half for savings, half for spending). I also got a nice copy of The Great Gatsby, a book I've read (and loved) and have been wanting to get for forever, but the paperback was $16.00, and it was worth that much money, seeing as it was less than 200 pages long. I visited a few of my friends' graduation parties, before ending the night at my friend's house, where I slept over for the night (also, one of my friends who was a senior last year went to this party too, and he spent the night as well). Overall, the day was fun. It could've been a lot worse. I had an hour or so where I was just so tired that I didn't feel like leaving the house at all, but I forced myself to, and I did and I'm glad I did. I'm feeling a bit weird, because I'm so happy to not have to deal with so much high school stress/drama anymore, but I'm also sad because it's over. And I don't want to think about the "it's not over, it's a new beginning" type of crap. Truth is, I won't be able to walk into a school in my town, sit in a class with my friends and classmates I've known for years, ever again. I'm wearing a new bracelet, and I couldn't help but think of being excited to show my classmates when I go back to school in the fall...except I won't be going back to school with those classmates. It's weird. I'm happy, I'm sad, I'm annoyed, I'm excited, I'm nervous, I'm nostalgic. I am going through so many different feelings right now. And a part of me just wants to be left alone. I don't want to deal with my family right now. Anyway, I had a fun day yesterday. In my future, I will look back on this day, and I will smile, and that's all I really asked for.
And the last thing I'd like to add to my "graduation entry" as it were, is the graduation song. After we had all gotten our dilpomas, and had sat down, we listened to a final speech. Once the speaker sat down, one of the kids stood up, yelled"3...2...1!" and then we stood up and threw our caps into the air. And right as we threw our caps, the speakers played our song, which was "Send Me On My Way" by Rusted Root, and I don't know, that moment just felt so fucking great. It felt like the end of a movie. Didn't matter that it was raining or anything like that. We stood up, threw our caps and then heard the "on my way" pumping through the speakers, and since the song isn't a depressing song and really has a great message for seniors (send me on my way), it felt like a great way to end the ceremony. It really did. It made it more exciting for me to look for my friends and hug them and give congradulations, as opposed to crying or anything like that. We didn't even care about the rain. I may have spent months dreading this day, but that one moment made the entire ceremony great, and gave a me a bright start to my new future.
And to think, half of the grade wanted us to use the song "Young" by Kenny Chesney. I'm not even going to use the "I dislike country" excuse, and will simply say that most country songs are depressing, or the tones of them are at least. If we had used this song, then we would've ended on a sad note. I am so fucking glad we used "Send Me On My Way", you can't even imagine. I'm sure most of you have heard this song, even if you don't know it, but here it is. Now just imagine doing the last thing you can as a high school student (tossing your cap) and right as you do it, this song blasts into the air. Try to tell me that it wouldn't make you smile, or at least somewhat happy.
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