Whenever I attend a graduation ceremony, the event planners insist on calling it a commencement--a beginning, not an end. It's true that the end of one event of our lives is usually the beginning of another, but that is not what all the hullabaloo is for: We worked hard to finish, so by golly we're going to celebrate the end!
I remember my college graduation. The school had decided to divide up the graduation into two parts. The night before, each department had its own diploma ceremony in different buildings across campus. My department was in the Eliza R. Snow Building at BYU-Idaho, one of my favorite buildings. It is the music building, where I took several choir classes, attended many performances and practiced with my barbershop quartet. For whatever reason, all the graduates in the Language and Letters field were allowed to say their own name as they crossed the stage. I included my maiden name, and I did not rush. My parents took me out to Craigo's for dinner afterward, and my mom tried a Cookie Monster for the very first time. She still talks about it.
For my high school graduation, I was part of an elite group of singers (the graduating seniors who happened to also be in choir) and we sang the National Anthem for a stadium full of people. My gown was white, my sister had straightened my hair for me, and my dad had bought one of those pricey but beautiful orchid leis for me to wear. I ended up using the same exact fuchsia and white orchids in my wedding bouquet. I did not attend grad night; I had a group of close friends come over and play video games all night instead.
Oddly enough, I also had an eighth-grade graduation ceremony. It was a little silly, but I wore a pretty cerulean-blue dress and matching blue butterfly earrings. After the ceremony there was a dance--my first boy-girl dance. The night was memorable, but none of us kids really needed the ceremony. We would have been just fine with (and were MUCH more excited about) the dance!
I think my sister in law's graduation ceremony was a little tough to watch today. Not that it was too long or boring--it was only about an hour--but I am still struggling to find my identity outside of the world of academia (I am an excellent student). I miss school, even almost four years later. I am also a little sad that I will never see my birth sister cross a stage and receive a diploma like that. My parents will only ever have the memory of my graduation. Although what is a piece of paper to my deceased sister? She graduated the biggest class of them all, summa cum laude, and my parents couldn't be more proud of her.
Perhaps all commencement ceremonies will have these highs and lows for me from now on; there are usually lots of emotions anyway at this stage of life. The last day of elementary school, the last day of seminary, the last day of the mission, the last day as a single person, the last day as a student, the last day as a couple without kids--all of these days carry great significance.
It's all part of life. Congratulations, sis, and I hope you have an easier time adjusting to life outside of school than I did!
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