Facebook Graduation Woes

To anyone who was supposed to graduate this year or intended to. I feel your pain.

The last few weeks were especially difficult. It seemed with every scroll down onour Facebook newsfeeds a new photo of a friend would pop up.They would be in their commencement robes, posing with their parents and in front of the location where the ceremony occurred.I am happy many of my friends and high school classmates have graduated and taken a large step forward in their lives.

All joy aside, one thought emerges from the depths of my subconscious – you messed up.

I’ve been told over and over again that it does not matter when or at what age you graduate. While I think this to be mostly true the strong feeling of disappointment does not subside. I go back through the years I’ve been at the University and begin to analyze all the classes I could have paid more attention in. The times when I should have given less priority to working and more time to studying.  Given more time to studying for finals and entrance exams. A large dark cloud of regret begins to form in my mind, the smiles and gowns only serve to reinforce my shortcomings.

I am certain that I am not alone. There are still a handful of classmates from the class of 2010 that I still see walking around campus or that still attend other universities. They too aren’t “on time.” I am sure they too have wondered what happened that made them postpone their graduation date. Comments I’ve made in passing to some in a similar situation share my thoughts. They’ll say shrug and say “what are you going to do,” with an undertone of regret.  Some laugh and say they are super seniors and that they’ll “be here forever.”

The few I’ve spoken to in-depth on the matter all reflect the same view – it’s irrelevant.

Despite the pressures of the University  wanting students out in four years, mounting expenses and remarks from my parents the talking worked.

Every conversation led to stories of friends  still living at home, in debt and with no job. Not to say this was the majority but their points remain clear: graduating sooner does not gurantee a better, more financially stable and overall happier life. It is simply a step forward, a manifestation of time like any other.

I’ll stick with what my last boss told me, “It’s rough out here, stay in school.”

 

 

About the Author

Diego Saldaña
: Opinion Director, Broadcast Major. Interests: Vintage motorcycles, cycling, collecting vinyl records, history.

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