Graduation

You can call me Master. Last weekend I graduated from Marian University with a Master's of Arts in Teaching. I feel pretty proud of this accomplishment, not because it was hard (I never once took a test and our assignments were usually one-page reflections), but because a master's sounds really impressive. No one has to know that it was the easiest grad program of all time.

Rebecca Forman and I were the only Teach For America teachers from our school who actually walked in graduation. The others were lame-o's who didn't want to pay to rent the cap and gown. I really don't blame them, since it ended up being the longest, most miserably hot graduation I have ever sat through.

Don't let this smiling face fool you. I had just sat through 2.5 hours of blistering heat. I ended up actually taking off my cap and hood and completely unzipping my gown because I couldn't handle the heat while what seemed like 1,000 names were called. It actually wasn't even that hot that day, but the sun was extra potent and we were wearing dark blue gowns and caps and hoods. We were all miserable. Once they got through all the names, I hurried and put my regalia back on when we had to stand and move our tassels.

This is Nicole. I'd never met her before that day, but when you sit and sweat together for a few hours, your bond becomes unbreakable.

If you'll notice, the bleachers behind me are nearly empty. When we walked in, they were completely packed. Apparently most people peaced out once their graduate's name had been called. I don't blame them. If I hadn't been sitting in the third row, I would've left for sure.

Tessa, Jacob, and Nalon came to the graduation, then my mom, dad, and Micah came up that night to go to dinner to celebrate.