Graduation 2012

And so it ends. Yesterday was amazing, I can't even say. All of the awesome people I've met over the years, being able to celebrate the past few years of hard work... It's something that can't be put into words. It's just a feeling of community, of looking back but anticipating the future, of cherishing what might be a last moment together. It's a feeling to cheering for all of your friends as they walk up onto that stage, of sticking a sticker on Mr. Corti, of riding mechanical bulls and doing backflips. It's indescribable.

*****

But enough of the sap. Senior breakfast was okay, they had food, but nothing amazing. xD The practice was pretty boring, but aren't they all...

A big group of us went to Round Table afterward and ate pizza and played Publish or Perish, which is amazingly hard with 11 players... But it was fun, a nice time to get together with friends and just chill.

The actual ceremony went by really fast. The student speakers were pretty good, Mr. White was amazing as usual. Calling people up also went by pretty fast - it helps to hear a friend's name every now and then. Then it was my turn. I can't really say I remember the entire experience - it sort of comes in flashes. Never really thought high school graduation would be anything special, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't smile as I hugged Mr. White, shook Mr. Corti's hand, and took the long walk back to my seat. Then the processional, high-fiving friends and hugging others... And mass chaos as we tried to find everyone to take pictures. Pretty glad I told everyone to meet at the goalpost. xD Wandering around looking for more people, laughing, wondering what the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma sticker means, and having a great time...

And then grad night. Mechanical bulls, bounce houses and obstacle courses, jousting, sumo wrestling, zip lines... Delicious strawberry passion slushies and chocolate covered strawberries. Suspiciously bogus fortune tellers. Henna tattoos and caricatures. Dance Dance Revolution with a broken back arrow. Falling asleep in the bingo room and waking up with half an hour to go. Eating donuts and yogurt, then rushing the exit to get out. Getting back home at like 5, with no idea what was going on... It was amazing.

And I guess we made it. =]