Graduation Season '15

Graduation photos and sentimental writings flood my Facebook Feed once again – the primary signs telling me, and everyone, that it’s graduation season. As fun as it is for me, comparing photos and their final goodbyes to the life they've known for four years, the graduates, on the other hand, must be feeling the same intensity of sadness.

Lately, I've developed a habit: I’d stalk the seniors that I know on Facebook – see their new display pic of them in the admirable blue toga, read the descriptions (their thank you’s, memorable moments, and wishes for the future), and their “countdown photos” taken all around the campus, counting down the days till graduation night. Sometimes, I’d go a step further and stalk their other senior friends. Forgive me. It’s just that the various ways they look at college is an interesting read.

A few days ago, one of my senior friends was giving me his advice on my last two years of college. The gist of it was that time flies really fast and the only way not to regret these years is to enjoy them – that, and get really good professors. Indeed, time does move fast. I was just a freshie, a little anxious and nervous during OrSem (Orientation Seminar – the first two days in Ateneo), and now, I’m here, an incoming third-year with a little more spunk, this time around. I’ll be a senior like him in no time, writing my own letters of separation anxiety with the school.

How would I be when that day comes? Expect a messed up, teary-faced, and depressed me. Haha. But I’ll try to follow his advice: starting with being more “out there”. And by “out there”, I mean more responsible and extroverted. Oh, wish me luck.

I believe I need a good amount of quality alone time before I can achieve this and I’m actually excited for the upcoming five-month long summer break. I already have plans – I want to do this and do that (for those who know me well, this is a really long list including cooking my family’s meals, learning how to drive, get myself enrolled in language and painting class, and such) – I just hope I can be able to fulfill them all.

Okay, I digress too much.

To be honest, a part of me feels sad to see seniors go, especially when that senior is a familiar face to me. Their presence will be missed. Another part of me is envious – envious that they've finished all four years of hard work. And lastly, I feel a sense of admiration towards them. They've done it. And now, they are on their way to a new chapter in life. That is such an achievement.

My mother always says, “It is one thing to pass into a prestigious university, but it’s an entirely different matter to stay there until the very end”.

Congratulations to the graduates of Batch ’15. A hug to all of you!

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faith

photo not mine