Much to the relief of my peers and I, our last final exam wrapped up by the stroke of 11am on the campus bell tower last Friday. Followed by a short brunch at a neighboring Coco’s restaurant, we rejoiced over the bittersweet realization that ‘that was it’. Graduation parties commenced that night, immediately trailed by consecutive gatherings within the following 48 hours. In between all of the cake, karaoke, and getting lei’d was something I’d like to call… commencement.
Okay, the ceremony was pimp. To be frank, I enjoyed it much more than my high school graduation. Was it perhaps because I was so much more proud of myself? Was it because I was sitting next to my favorite economics study buddy Nelson? Was it because my entire family was sitting in the front of the audience cheering me on for two hours straight? Was it because I had more leis on than any other girl in the audience (that athlete Williams actually beat me, bastard). I don’t know, maybe it was because I just had my highlights redone and I was feeling really good about myself that day. Whatever the reason, my family and I had such a blast.
The student speaker was badass. I can only thank God that she made me laugh, made me sigh, and made it quick. She started the speech by finding eerily accurate commonalities between all of us students, “At the end of four years, we have all learned many valuable things that have aided us along this path. We have mastered the art of turning a two page paper into a four page paper with the use of Courier New font. We have mastered the ability to make a four course meal out of 10 for $2 ramen. We have learned how to function 24 hours on 3 hours of sleep, and we are here today because we seek more out life than just phat rims and bling bling.” - Ivory
Our key speaker was Linda David, wife of the creator of Seinfeld and current star of the hit HBO show that I’ve already forgotten the name of. She is an activist for global warming. So on her behalf, please visit this webpage: http://www.stopglobalwarming.org.
Anyway, I walked the walk and almost forgot to shake the chancellor’s hand to receive my faux diploma as a result of screaming really really loud for myself once my name was called out. What can I say, I had to laugh at myself once I realized what I had done. To sum up the greatness that was commencement: outside of the students throwing tortillas in the air during the speeches, outside of having my mortarboard on backwards for a good hour before realizing my silly mistake, outside of the few Business Econ majors in comparison to the army that was Liberal Studies, and outside of all the funny inside jokes that occurred between 5pm-8pm on Saturday evening, I want to be sure that the whole world knows that if it wasn’t for my dad and mom, Leo and Esper, who left the motherland to seek a better life for my brother and I, my life wouldn’t be as great as it is this very moment. So daddy and mom, this one goes out to you. I love you.
Thanks to everyone who came to have lunch with my family and I the following day.
Photo: I do it all for my family.
Photo: Gabi and I before graduation.
