Written while Drunk on Thoughts

30 Dec 2013

Graduation

Graduation is a ceremony that marks the academic achievement - kindergarten (yes, I had a graduation for completing 2 hours of nap per day and finger painting), primary school, high school, university. In life, I had 3 proper graduations - kindergarten and twice during university.

My graduation this time round is on a really special date 11/12/13 and its not only the date that is special. It was quite a day. I started off not wanting to attend because I just don't feel like it. I had done the ceremony 3 years ago and despite my effort, my dad could not be here to see me shake hands and smile for the second time. In the moment of sadness, I burst out crying and was trying to convince my brother to go on my behalf.

After calming down and being talked into doing it by my friends, I decided to put on a brave face and my Dr Martens and just go for it. While I was complaining about looking completely ridiculous in the oversize gown (I am petite), I got a phone call from Pretty Girl. When we hugged, it feels like she never left. If its possible, it feels like the hug was 3 months long, we started hugging on 10/9/13 and had just let go 11/12/13.

Then familiar faces just kept popping up, I saw my former classmates one by one. I had never kissed so many faces in my life before. I must say I like the face kissing greetings. Malaysians beware! I am starting a new tradition. Its not long before Ipek showed up. In the midst of chaos, I took 5 minutes to see D. It took me 2 seconds to spot him but he was struggling to find me in the sea of robes. As he put it "Its like Hogwarts, everyone is dressed in robes" and I suppose being a Chinese in a sea of Chinese dressed in the same robe doesn't make his job easy (find Waldo?).






Picture stole from Ipek. =)



But when we finally do, both of us took a look at each other and burst of laughing. I looked like I was swallowed by a pile of black textile and he looked like he had a fan permanently in front of him blowing wind into his face like in a photoshoot. Anyone that knows him know he is known for his crazy curly hair. Imagine when his sister told me we had to put on silly headgear for Christmas and said Dom had it covered with his hair. At least he made an effort and I appreciate that alot.

Someone stole my mortarboard after we took the mandatory hat in the air shot and I was stucked with an oversized one.

Ceremony was mundane and frankly, rushing. Be that as it may, I still managed to tear up when the Principal said "now the graduates please stand up, face your family and friends, thank them for their support." I wished my father could be there again to witness it. All the time during the ceremony, all I could think of is "whats next? the next time I feel like that might be my wedding. I will savour this feeling while I can."

The ceremony followed by lots of hugging, kissing and photo taking. I felt like a celebrity and is secretly glad that I decided to be there. I would kick myself so much if I missed that. That following night was a nice staying in slumber party for 2. Pretty Girl and I stayed in the same hotel and with the Tequila I bought from Spain and some fruit juices, I went to her room and became the amateur bartender and whipped up some sub-standard cocktail for us to sip whilst talking about life and love.

She got me a gift, I got her a gift. Whilst mine is just a souvenir from Spain, she gave me a lipstick with the name Rouge IN LOVE. Reason? She said she wants me to be in love. Nuff said, she just got up my VIP list.

In a way, this graduation not only serve as a celebration for our achievement, it was a reunion, closure and reminder of how good things could turn out to be when life throws you a curve ball. I found inner peace with sad memories and grew up, I gained so many friends along the way, I experienced things I always wanted to and I met the funnest people that I ever met. I didn't only graduate from my master programme but I graduated from the old me and for that I am happy and darn proud of myself.

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