The Smorgasbord of Douglas Bell

Class of 2009, today we have come together as classmates one final time to reflect on and celebrate our accomplishments over the past four years. It has been a tumultuous ride, but without a doubt, we as a class have risen up to be true leaders of Aragon High School, and we now stand on the precipice of our future. And if you’re like me, you’re probably very unsure of what is going to come next.
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Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow. Today was my last day of school. Not just my last day of the 2008-09 school year, my senior year, it was my last day of high school. Strike that, my last day of traditional K-12 education period, wrapping up a full thirteen years of education. And in less than 24 hours, I’ll be walking across the stage at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center (conveniently across the street from my house) for my high school graduation.

I am having like major vertigo right now.

And who can blame me? Now that school is out, the homework is done (from now on, it’ll only be “dormwork,” I guess), the commitments are behind me, I’ve only really had the chance to dwell on the gravity of this week for the past few days. But today and tomorrow, May 2009, this is the time that I have been preparing for ever since I got started in school way back when.

I remember (only vaguely) twelve years ago, in my “graduation” from Kindergarten, when we were presented with a big oversized shirt that said 2009 on it. Boy, did that seem like a big number to be back then! I probably would have been only barely aware of it being the year 1997, much less the prospect of 2009 being anywhere close, but I still remember that. (As for where that shirt is, who knows?)
I remember nine and a half years ago, towards the end of 1999, when I was in the midst of third grade and everyone was talking about how it was the turn of the millennium (when they weren’t freaking out from the fake scare of a Y2K crisis), and under the direction of my third grade teacher, I made a time capsule that was to last for ten years. That time capsule still sits in the closet in my room in a special-edition Cheerios box (called “Millennios”), and I’ve never opened it. And I remember thinking about 2009 being the year that I would finish 12th grade–boy did that seem like such a big number! Only seven more months until 2010 comes and I get to crack open that time capsule.
I remember seven years ago, as my elementary school graduation approached in 2002, as I was thinking one day in the shower about the transition to middle school being near, but the transition to high school still feeling as far away as the planet Pluto (it was still a planet then) and college being in like the next galaxy. And four years ago as middle school’s graduation approached, I recalled that train of thought and considered how then it was high school that was right around the corner and college that was at the planet Pluto (it was STILL a planet then; it didn’t get demoted until August 2006!).

And now, I am here. My high school graduation is upon me. In two and a half months, I fly out to begin college at American University in Washington, D.C. — a place that I didn’t even know existed two years ago. These are my thoughts as a high school graduate. A mixture of excitement, awe, and dread all rolled into one, and yet I still know that even as I write this, my traditional last day of school post that I have written every year since sophomore year, I still haven’t fully internalized the feeling that it’s all over. This weekend, I am formally closing the book on thirteen years of hard work, wonderful and unique experiences, challenges, and so much more. And a new chapter begins.
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Well, it’s finally here. The big G-word. The day that I, and everyone else in my class, has been thinking about and preparing for since last August. Graduation.

After four years of high school–nearly 150 weeks of it–this next week will be my last of high school, and boy am I in the thick of this graduation thing. The graduation gown is in a bag in my room (yes, it will get ironed this week), I got the yearbook last Monday, the final school newspaper with the big map showing where all the seniors are going last Thursday, tickets are ordered and plans for who gets to come and who doesn’t all made, etc. Finals started Friday afternoon, and continue this week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Graduation is Friday at 1 PM, with 1 PM rehearsals (only 45 minutes after school ends) on Tuesday and Wednesday. Goodbyes are being exchanged already, autographs are being exchanged, mixed feelings of dread and excitement are swelling. All of this backed up by general nervous feelings that delve into the subconscious of all of us in the family, not being clearly noticeable, yet affecting us in various ways.

Yep, it’s a graduating senior’s life.

In reality, I haven’t quite gotten into the full realization of graduation yet. Maybe it’s because I still haven’t quite gotten away from the continuous feeling of busyness that lingers around me during every school year. But with less than five days to go until that big graduation ceremony, that likely could change as this week progresses. Until then…