Graduation 2009

As I walk out onto the field, rain dripping off of my cap, I look out into the stands to find family and friends. This is it. I made it. It does not feel real. This has to be a dream. Orange umbrella…Erica. Mark. Aha! But where are my sisters and parents? We shuffle into our seats, a sea of black caps and gowns with an occasional person in maroon. The National Anthem. Speakers. I spot my family! Robert E. Cook. Terrible, offensive speech. Rain still dripping off my cap and the people around me. Waiting. Listening. People stand for honors. Cum Laude. Magna Cum Laude. Summa Cum Laude. Each college stands. Of course, my college is last. College of Education and Educational Technology. Yelling! As we all sit back down, it’s time for them to call our names individually to recognize all our hard work. I sit there trying my hardest to use telepathy to talk to my family and friends. Sitting down there is boring. I didn’t know anyone nearby. Finally it’s time for me to go up to the stage. “Don’t fall” echoing through my head. Thanks, Mark. I give them the slip of paper that says my name. Surprisingly, they say my name correctly. Happily, I walk over to shake the hands of the dean of my college, and then stop to take a picture with the university president, Dr. Tony Atwater. Fake smile. Walk off the stage to get another picture taken with my degree. DONE! As I walk back to my seat, I realize that I really don’t feel like sitting around listening to more speeches. I find Erica and Mark and they tell me that my family decided to go get warm and dry. Starving, we go to Subway. Hot spot for the recently graduated, I guess. We wait for our food. Still feels like a dream. It does not feel like I just graduated from college. Not real. We eat, then head to my department graduation. Zink Gym B. I find my Speechies. Family takes pictures of me real quick. I join the girls with which I spent so much of my time learning with. I spot all of my professors. I wave. This is much better. I know these people. I care about these people. This won’t be boring. Pictures. There are 4 majors in our department. Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Disability Services, Education of Exceptional Persons, and Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Each major has a speaker. We sit and listen to each of the speakers and professors. Tears in my eyes, I clap. Again, it’s time to be called individually to be honored and receive our degrees. My name is called, I smile. Real smile. I shake the dean’s hand again. I stand for pictures with Dr. Stein. Takes forever. I laugh. He says, “Go show Edinboro how smart we are!” I smile again. Congratulations and carnation from Dr. Migyanka. I stand with the girls as everyone else is called. I look at the people that really care for me. The people that were there for me along the way. The people that recently entered my life, and I could never thank enough for what they do for me. In this moment, I have never been happier. Graduation 2009. I will never forget you, IUP. You are my home.