College Graduation: It All Comes Full Circle

By CC Staff

I remember my college graduation like it was yesterday. After a group of my friends threw an open bar graduation party for family and friends the night before, I woke up graduation morning hungover, naked and confused about  my whereabouts. I rolled over to find myself lying next to the first college friend I made at orientation.

“Fitting,” I thought to myself. Then I grabbed my clothes (all but one shoe…which I told myself I could live without) and ran out the door. If I didn’t get home soon, I would be late for graduation.

I hailed a cab on the corner of the street and hopped in. On the short ride back to my house, I passed families all dressed up for the great moment that was their son/daughter/grandchild/cousin/brother/sister’s graduation. I looked down at the clothes I wore the night before and the unidentified scars that can only come from a night of heavy drinking on someone else’s tab.

“Fitting,” I thought to myself again.

When I got home, I threw open the door to find my roommates standing around the mirror attempting to get their caps on straight. They looked at me with a mixture of “you go, girl!” and “really? The day of graduation?” looks on their faces.

I ran to my room. There was no time to shower, so a ponytail and a fresh coat of makeup would have to do. I was meeting my family in 25 minutes and, being that it was MY graduation, I couldn’t be late. I threw on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, washed my face, threw my hair in a ponytail (thank god that cap covered all the grease) and was on my way. Before I could make it out the door with my roommates, though, a wave of nausea hit me.

I leaned over the porch and puked. On my honors cord.

“Fitting,” my best friend said as she fished my cap out of the bushes.

My roommates helped me wipe off my overpriced rayon gown and held my clammy hands as we made our way to the stadium. I chugged a bottle of water and chewed three pieces of gum before quickly greeting my family and getting in line for the procession.

The rest of graduation is kind of a haze. I walked with my friends while simultaneously talking to and looking for my parents in the sea of 100,000 people.  I spent the rest of the boring 2 hour ceremony talking to my friends over some boring speech by some dude I’d never heard of, all while praying to god that I could make it out of there before I puked again.

And then it was over. When all was said and done and our caps were thrown in the air, I started to sob. Somewhere in the stands my parents were also crying, but unlike their tears of joy and pride at their baby growing up, mine were tears of deep, deep sorrow.

College was officially over. The life I had worked towards for the past 16 years was about to begin. All the friends I had made were about to be gone.

I stood in a circle with my best friends and we all cried as the stands emptied out around us. Then one of them pulled a fifth of vodka out from under her gown and passed it around.

“How fitting,” I thought to myself. And it all was.

Any of you have graduation stories to share? Was it everything you thought it would be? Share your stories below!