Flash from the Past

Nostalgia hits you when you least expect it to. A few days ago I watched the commencement ceremony of my university since some of my friends were graduating. What I didn’t expect was that it would make me go back to my graduation day. 

I know what you’re thinking, ‘how could she not think that watching the ceremony would take her back?’ Well, you see, I was not emotional on my graduation day, or the day after, or the day day after…you get the drift! In fact, I hardly remember feeling anything at all! In all honesty, it may have been because the pain from standing in heels for two hours had numbed all other feelings or because I had been feeling blue since the beginning of my last semester. Whatever it was, I wasn’t super excited, or sad – just a little nervous, that too because, “Good luck for today and make sure you don’t trip on stage,” was all that I heard.  

In retrospect, I think I may have focused all of my energy on walking on that stage without falling flat on my face, and that might be the reason towards my indifference to the day, and my memory block. I seriously have no recollection of walking up to the chancellor, or getting my diploma, nodding to my dean, and walking back to my seat. My 30 seconds of fame, and I don’t even remember them, sigh.

So there I was, sitting and watching the ceremony on TV, when suddenly, I teared up. The stage looked beautiful; the soon-to-be graduates ecstatic; the parents proud. 

In that moment, I realized, whether it has been 5 months, or 5 years since graduation, you are always going to miss it. And if you are like me, you will miss the classes, writing papers, studying for exams. In short, you will miss being a student. 

You see, things always change after that day. You have more responsibility since you have now graduated into ‘adulthood.’ All the free time, that you think you will have after finishing studies, is not really that great because it’s hard to break from your routine and do nothing.Plus, no matter what they say, people don't really keep in touch! You might be fast friends with someone, spend all your day with them everyday, attend any and all events together, but if they are not the 'keep-in-touch' type, there is nothing in the world that would make them call or text you. So, what is free time without having anyone to spend it with?

On the plus side…umm, can I get back to you on that?


To read a slightly different version of this same article, click here.