Graduation

Okay, seeing as I suppose graduation is supposed to be a serious transition in one's lifetime, I guess it's about time I wrote a post about it. I also need to make a post about the graduation itself and about yesterday, plus post some memes I filled out, but for now I think I'm going to go all introspective. Or something. Truth be told, I'm not feeling that introspective at the moment, so this'll probably be a little half-assed. And not that meaningful. XD;

So, I've graduated high school now.

When I went into high school, I remember being determined not to be changed by it. Now, this was a ridiculous idea, now that I look back on it, but as a general rule, I have a habit of making impossible promises to myself. Because of course I was changed by it. It was four years of my life, and you can't not be changed by that span of time and by the events that take place in it.

A lot of things have happened in those last four years. I can't say I'm an entirely different person than I was when I started, but some things have certainly shifted over time. Some of them were good changes, things I'm proud of. Some of them were things I regret to some extent, things I never wanted to change. Some things I'm indifferent about--and I'm sure there are changes I didn't even notice. In the end, I don't think it was school itself that changed me, but the things that happened at school, after school, on the weekends, and with the people who were there with me.

During high school, I went to my first anime convention. In fact, I went to twenty of them. I fell in love for the first time. I almost lost my mind because of it. I was completely heartbroken, which is something I can't help but carry with me in some sense. I made more friends than I can count, and they are doubtlessly the best part of high school. I ran a club. I won a writing contest. I did a lot of writing and drawing, actually. I cosplayed for the first time. I got into so, so many anime series. I went on trips with my friends. I sang along to songs in the car. I experienced absolute euphoria and the deepest sadnesses. I started doing wildlife rehab. I got into shounen-ai. I learned more about life than I can ever express. I loosened up to some extent. I started writing this LiveJournal.

Most of these things didn't even involve school, which is perhaps why it isn't as big a deal to me as it is to some. High school? Academics-wise, it was easy. I learned some academic things, but moreso I learned life lessons. The social aspect was more important. I'm only beginning to realize now that today, at graduation, I glanced over so many faces I've known for so long (many from before high school), so many personalities I've met and talked to and become accustomed to--and some of those people, I will never see again. In fact, most, many, a lot of them... I'm never going to see them again. It's so weird to think that, because these are the people I've grown up with, and it's strange to think of a world without them. The people who really mean something to me, I'll keep close to me, but when it comes to those people you just know and they're not exactly your friends, but they meant something, I wish I can gotten a chance to say goodbye to them all.

My teachers? I had some really awesome teachers. They inspired me, they brought me through, they made me laugh, and they gave me some real perspective on things. I learned so much from them, even if it wasn't the curriculum they're hired to teach. Some of them were forgettable. Others I know I'll never, ever forget. Mr. Baxter, Mr. Stanley, Mrs. Mclean, Mr. Cartan, Ms. Parker, Mrs. McD, and so many others are just... I'll have to go visit them, because I'll miss them otherwise. It's those teachers who still have passion and knowledge that transcends their given subject that really go above and beyond their job, and change lives. In some ways, I know I've obtained knowledge from them that will change my life, and I can only hope I can pass that knowledge on to someone else someday.

My friends? Ha, how can I ever say enough about you guys? If it weren't for you all, I...have no idea where I'd be. Some of us are still as close as ever, and some of us have drifted away a little, but I hope we can all stick together because I know there is meaning in us having each other. More than anyone else, I've learned from my friends. I'm speechless. There's not even anything I can say, other than that you guys mean the world to me. I have no idea what I'd do without you. It's hard to leave a message to such a big group of people, and it's hard to leave a message for people who you love too much for words. And so you know, I'm referring internet friends in addition to RL ones. Everyone had something to teach me--some morsel of wisdom, some perspective or idea or critique, thought, comfort, consolation, just...something you offered me. You may not even have realized it, but you all meant something, too. Thank you, every one of you.

And so, high school, like every other experience in life, was bittersweet. It was a journey, and it was filled with an infinite amount of memories that I can smile upon. And in the end, at this point, I don't even know what I can say to sum it all up or look back on it in a meaningful way. Of course, it doesn't help that it hasn't sunk in yet, and that I don't quite understand that I will never again sleep through my TA period in Mr. Baxter's class; reluctantly follow Mr. Humpher's orders; drink tea in Mrs. Mclean's class; watch Mr. Stanley whack his podium with his golf club; hear one of Mr. Cartan's on the road stories, and my whole English class laughing over them; witness Ms. Parker's rage and love for Johnny Depp and pigs; read a story to my Creative Writing class, only to have Mrs. McD so impressed she starts a class discussion on it; never watch Wolf's Rain for no good reason in Ms. Lynn's class; and so many other endless things I did in high school. And I think I'll miss some aspects of it, though I admit I am quite ready to move on.

Well, regardless of anything, it was quite a four years, and I'm so glad I've experienced all I have. Maybe I'll write a better introspection on high school entry someday, when it has actually sunk in.

Graduation

Okay, seeing as I suppose graduation is supposed to be a serious transition in one's lifetime, I guess it's about time I wrote a post about it. I also need to make a post about the graduation itself and about yesterday, plus post some memes I filled out, but for now I think I'm going to go all introspective. Or something. Truth be told, I'm not feeling that introspective at the moment, so this'll probably be a little half-assed. And not that meaningful. XD;

So, I've graduated high school now.

When I went into high school, I remember being determined not to be changed by it. Now, this was a ridiculous idea, now that I look back on it, but as a general rule, I have a habit of making impossible promises to myself. Because of course I was changed by it. It was four years of my life, and you can't not be changed by that span of time and by the events that take place in it.

A lot of things have happened in those last four years. I can't say I'm an entirely different person than I was when I started, but some things have certainly shifted over time. Some of them were good changes, things I'm proud of. Some of them were things I regret to some extent, things I never wanted to change. Some things I'm indifferent about--and I'm sure there are changes I didn't even notice. In the end, I don't think it was school itself that changed me, but the things that happened at school, after school, on the weekends, and with the people who were there with me.

During high school, I went to my first anime convention. In fact, I went to twenty of them. I fell in love for the first time. I almost lost my mind because of it. I was completely heartbroken, which is something I can't help but carry with me in some sense. I made more friends than I can count, and they are doubtlessly the best part of high school. I ran a club. I won a writing contest. I did a lot of writing and drawing, actually. I cosplayed for the first time. I got into so, so many anime series. I went on trips with my friends. I sang along to songs in the car. I experienced absolute euphoria and the deepest sadnesses. I started doing wildlife rehab. I got into shounen-ai. I learned more about life than I can ever express. I loosened up to some extent. I started writing this LiveJournal.

Most of these things didn't even involve school, which is perhaps why it isn't as big a deal to me as it is to some. High school? Academics-wise, it was easy. I learned some academic things, but moreso I learned life lessons. The social aspect was more important. I'm only beginning to realize now that today, at graduation, I glanced over so many faces I've known for so long (many from before high school), so many personalities I've met and talked to and become accustomed to--and some of those people, I will never see again. In fact, most, many, a lot of them... I'm never going to see them again. It's so weird to think that, because these are the people I've grown up with, and it's strange to think of a world without them. The people who really mean something to me, I'll keep close to me, but when it comes to those people you just know and they're not exactly your friends, but they meant something, I wish I can gotten a chance to say goodbye to them all.

My teachers? I had some really awesome teachers. They inspired me, they brought me through, they made me laugh, and they gave me some real perspective on things. I learned so much from them, even if it wasn't the curriculum they're hired to teach. Some of them were forgettable. Others I know I'll never, ever forget. Mr. Baxter, Mr. Stanley, Mrs. Mclean, Mr. Cartan, Ms. Parker, Mrs. McD, and so many others are just... I'll have to go visit them, because I'll miss them otherwise. It's those teachers who still have passion and knowledge that transcends their given subject that really go above and beyond their job, and change lives. In some ways, I know I've obtained knowledge from them that will change my life, and I can only hope I can pass that knowledge on to someone else someday.

My friends? Ha, how can I ever say enough about you guys? If it weren't for you all, I...have no idea where I'd be. Some of us are still as close as ever, and some of us have drifted away a little, but I hope we can all stick together because I know there is meaning in us having each other. More than anyone else, I've learned from my friends. I'm speechless. There's not even anything I can say, other than that you guys mean the world to me. I have no idea what I'd do without you. It's hard to leave a message to such a big group of people, and it's hard to leave a message for people who you love too much for words. And so you know, I'm referring internet friends in addition to RL ones. Everyone had something to teach me--some morsel of wisdom, some perspective or idea or critique, thought, comfort, consolation, just...something you offered me. You may not even have realized it, but you all meant something, too. Thank you, every one of you.

And so, high school, like every other experience in life, was bittersweet. It was a journey, and it was filled with an infinite amount of memories that I can smile upon. And in the end, at this point, I don't even know what I can say to sum it all up or look back on it in a meaningful way. Of course, it doesn't help that it hasn't sunk in yet, and that I don't quite understand that I will never again sleep through my TA period in Mr. Baxter's class; reluctantly follow Mr. Humpher's orders; drink tea in Mrs. Mclean's class; watch Mr. Stanley whack his podium with his golf club; hear one of Mr. Cartan's on the road stories, and my whole English class laughing over them; witness Ms. Parker's rage and love for Johnny Depp and pigs; read a story to my Creative Writing class, only to have Mrs. McD so impressed she starts a class discussion on it; never watch Wolf's Rain for no good reason in Ms. Lynn's class; and so many other endless things I did in high school. And I think I'll miss some aspects of it, though I admit I am quite ready to move on.

Well, regardless of anything, it was quite a four years, and I'm so glad I've experienced all I have. Maybe I'll write a better introspection on high school entry someday, when it has actually sunk in.