The End of The Beginning

The last few days have flown by in a daze. So many things have been going on to wrap up the end of the year, and if you know me, you know I get overwhelmed easily, so unfortunately I haven't remembered to blog everything. To summarize everything up, here it is in a reverse chronological order MDIP (this is kind of cheating, since it didn't all happen on one day, but oh well).

1. Graduation was on Wednesday at the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden. I'm on the far left of the cap tossing line. The whole experience was just so surreal, and it still hasn't quite sunk in that I'm no longer in high school. Then again, it hasn't been very long since I've graduated, so I'll get used to it soon.

2. Photocredits to my little sister for all the grad pictures. I am thoroughly impressed with this shot: perfect timing, clarity, and framing. The booklet is empty though!

3 & 4. Old friends came by to visit! Lei's for days.

5 & 6. With the one and only Mrs. Brasher. The photo on the right is from the Speech and Debate Banquet. I actually received two senior gifts, the Captain America nightlight as a joke gift, and a small can of hairspray from Mrs. Brasher. I think "Control Addict" describes both of us pretty well.

7. Performance Night was a while ago but I never really had the chance to blog about it. I hadn't practiced at all after State, but since I was the only senior in expos, I was asked to perform. I dusted off my posters and for the last time, gave my speech. I will miss speech and debate greatly, but I'm also thoroughly thankful to be done once and for all.

8. The expos family portrait! Unfortunately I had middle school meetings on the same day as the expos event meetings so I wasn't able to get to know many of the new exposers, but I'm still grateful for each and every one of them. I'll miss them so much in college and hopefully they'll come visit me if they go to the Berkeley tournament.

I take back what I said in the first description. Right now, as I'm typing this, it's hitting me that I've graduated, I've finished high school, I'm going off to college, and it's summer – and it's hitting me hard. It's at once a wave of happiness and sadness, and my mouth is dry and my eyes are watering. It's confusing and exciting, but in the end, everything's going to be okay. Now excuse me as I go stuff my face with chocolate and cry and hold my knees as I rock back and forth. ◊

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

– Winston Churchill