Graduation Day

In many ways the Graduation Day ceremony for your Bachelor’s degree is anti-climactic. It doesn’t really capture the essence of the last four years of your life. Does it feel like an adequate award for all those late nights, cram sessions, and frustratingly hard assignments? Does it capture the happiness that you shared with your friends? Is it a true homage to your university life that has totally defined you as a person for the past four years?
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No, probably not. There were other events that probably did that for you—Your last exam, your last party with your friends, your marks on your last transcript, your final days in the dorm or your shared apartment.

So why bother with Graduation Day then? Well, it comes down a few, important things: First, you get a nice document say that you got your Bachelor’s Degree. It will be the only physical evidence that you earned that degree! You get to see your friends and classmates one last time before you go your separate ways, and probably most important of all, Graduation is a way for you to share your achievements with your parents (It’s probably the proudest day of their lives) and your friends. They know how hard you worked, they know whether or not you were homesick, and they know what you loved and hated about your university career.

It’s a happy day, a sad day, a nostalgic day, an exciting day, and even a boring day. You’ll probably run the full gamut of emotions. There will be laughter, hugs and maybe a few tears. People will get gifts, flowers, and pats on the back. You will run around in silly black robes. There will be lots of pictures—even if it rains cats and dogs.

So, even if the Graduation ceremony is long, boring, and “just who was that speaker anyway?”, it’s your day, your achievements and your life that we are celebrating. It officially marks a new period in your life and sets the path for your future.

Congratulations, Olivia! I’m glad I can share this this day with you and your family.