not going to lie, and I completely understand people upset about missing such a big milestone, but
my college graduation was the. worst.
imagine sitting in a stadium with 5,499 people, of whom you know maybe 50 and care about 20. it’s a scorching 90-degree (F) day. there’s no shade. you’re wearing a navy polyester robe beneath which sweat is completely saturating the absolute lightest cotton dress you own. and you have to be there for three hours
hear me when I say: Neil DeGrasse Tyson was my commencement speaker and I could not tell you one single theme of his speech. not just because it’s been five years. but because the experience was that hellish
I’d definitely have missed all the good times and last hurrahs with my friends in the week or so leading up to graduation. but the actual ceremony itself? not remotely
Or, conversely, you’ll need to wake up at 5am to be at the stadium by the correct time. No time to eat breakfast, you NEED to be on time... only to be forced to stand in a back room for two hours while everyone files in - some VERY late-, then you have to scramble to find your line, and THEN they make you stand in that line for another half hour before the processional FINALLY starts. You’re chilly, but remain optimistic that the actual stadium will be warmer.
The stadium itself has to be 60 degrees to counter the fact that it’s 90+ outside and there’s too many people stuffed inside. Your family arrived a half hour early but still could only get seats on the fourth floor balcony. The speaker is vaguely related to the university. People keep going up to the podium to speak. You have never seen any of them before, you think.
You’re sitting rows away from any of your friends, so you’ve resorted to texting them in hopes of staying awake. It’s so cold. All you want is a cup of coffee and a nap. It’s so cold. Your gown offers no warmth, neither does your cotton dress you chose because it’s a blistering hell scape outside and your grad party is a garden party.
You wish you’d remember to stick granola bars in your boots.
