graduation

high school graduation. there's nothing quite like it. it had been years since i'd been to one and we went sans kids, which means plenty of time to people watch.  all the families were there, most dressed nicely (sadly ty and i seriously underdressed), cameras in tow, nervous faces waiting for it to start. sadness in their hearts that their child is grown up, shock at how fast it came.

as the graduates walked out and sat down, they looked like adults (well, the girls did). beautiful hair, shoes that defied gravity (and common sense), perfect make-up. light years ahead of my graduation. i leaned over to ty and asked, "how often do you think about graduation night?".  he thought for a moment and said, "hardly ever."  i was in the same boat. the only time i think about my own high school graduation is when i attend one, and even then i don't dwell on it that much. it was 12 years ago, seems like forever. i was stupid. i still am stupid.

we dressed up, got a diploma, went to a fun party, left the fun party for a more promising fun party. "fun promising party" was just a lot of booze and pedophiliac older graduates crashing the party. lame.  we were disappointed and just went home.

i tried to look at each face at one point in the ceremony, wondering where they will go to college. if they will graduate. maybe they'll go military. or vocational. or nothing. i liked what the principal said, his parents encouraged college education strongly, but even more the wanted their kids to work hard and be honest in whatever they choose.  and i agree, whatever you choose, do it well.

one of my favorite quotes is in Sahara, when the main characters are traveling via camels on a hopeless rescue mission. al says, "Hey, you know how it is when you see someone that you haven't seen since high school, and they got some dead-end job, and they're married to some woman that hates them, they got, like, three kids who think he's a joke? Wasn't there some point where he stood back and said, "Bob, don't take that job! Bob, don't marry that harpy!" You know? " if i could, what would i tell my 18 year old graduate?  

• you're think it's funny to burp in public.
• it's not funny to burp in public.
• stop eating dairy, it's causing all of the burping. 
• and the farting.
• the clothing companies aren't changing their sizes, you're serving sizes are insane.
• you'll think you look good in all of your outfits. 
• you don't look good in all of your outfits.
• when you are lifeguarding some minor league teams will stay at your pool. they will ask you and your friend to go out with them. you will say no, your friend will say yes. 
• be proud of yourself for saying no, not embarassed. 
• when you are hanging out with your friends you're going to make fun of the girls to get the guys' attention. don' t do that.
• you're boyfriend is going to leave for two years. you're going to be depressed for two years. you're going to eat 6 snickers bars a day. 
• it's ok to be depressed for two years.
• it's not ok to eat 6 snickers bars a day.
• you're going to have a lot of fun freshman year. you're also going to hang out really late at night with boys.
•  don't hang out really late at night with boys.
• ever.
• you're going to want to quit college once a week. that's normal.
• you're going to work really hard fall semester on your classes and learn a lot. 
• you're going to sluff a lot of classes spring semester and not learn anything.
• don't sluff classes.
• you're going to call boys on the phone and hang out with them trying to get them to like you.
• don't call boys on the phone. if they want to talk to you, they will. 
• you can't make boys like you.
• you're going to make fun of the marriage and homemaking majors.
• take marriage and homemaking classes (it will save you a ton of time later on).
• you are going to think a lot of boys like you like "that".
• they just think you are funny. but they do like your roommates "that" way.
• relax. you are pretty and are going to marry your boyfriend that's gone.
• get uglier roommates.
• write down your friends'  last names in your journal. you're going to forget them in 10 years.
• meet with an academic advisor twice a semester. trust me.
• get your hair cut more often and keep your nails nice.
• call your mom more often and listen to her advice.

what would you tell your high school graduate self?