Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women.
seniors say that they’ve got spirit, stand up now, and let’s hear it! 07! 07! 0007! the young pup graduates from high school tomorrow – which seriously just blows my mind. he’s supposed to stay young forever, right? isn’t that a thing? but i guess that’s not happening. he’s now taller than i am and just one short walk across the stage away from starting the next chapter of his life. i’ve already accepted that i’m going to get emotional about all this. but, enough about him, i’ll be sharing plenty about him later tomorrow and this weekend. what we need to be talking about is the fact that it was 7 years since i graduated high school. cray. cray.
the funny thing about high school is that while you’re there it feels like the most important time of your life. and well, up until then it really is. and during those 4 years you have some great and wonderful memories that you’ll always remember; like bus rides with the soccer girls, or junior year homecoming piled in the back of a friends truck blaring AC/DC and getting away from the senior girls, skipping class to work on show choir choreography, or when the football team WON homecoming your senior year and it was madness. those are the moments you look back on and smile. but high school is full of awkward, not so happy times too; the time you didn’t make varsity soccer, or not getting asked to prom, or the time you asked someone to prom and they said no, or when the friends you have become the friends you had… high school was bittersweet with more of bitter than sweet. i played sports but wasn’t a big athlete; i did well in school but wasn’t crazy smart; i wasn’t one of the “cool kids”… i learned some things there about life, myself and other people; but i was happy to be moving on when i switched that tassel to the other side. and ready to start fresh somewhere new.
it’s really incredible when you think of all the things that happened in the past 7 years. i moved out of the home i’d grown up in; started college in a new place with nobody i knew; had some relationships; learned a lot more about myself and who my real friends are; got an incredible internship and started at the job i am still at today; graduated college and spoke at my commencement ceremony; started blogging; moved into an apartment in minneapolis with my best friend; moved into another apartment in minneapolis and lived on my own for the first time; got in the best shape i’ve been in and run 2 half marathons; traveled all over the US from Massachusetts to California to Texas and everywhere in between; met a guy; moved in with that guy; become mom to starksthepup; spoke at a conference on social media (twice); got engaged to that guy (yes, that guy is [B]) and now i’m planning a wedding, house hunting and talking about our future together… i never imagined that my life would turn out this way. and i couldn’t be happier.
to all you grads out there; enjoy this moment. i’m sure you thought it would never come. so after you take a post diploma selfie and snapchat and post it to Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and #2K14 or #somecheeesylyricstoavitamincsong take a moment to stop and soak it all in. remember the good moments and try to not dwell so much on the bad. because incredible amounts of fabulous things are just waiting ahead of you. the future is yours. it doesn’t matter if you were the athlete, the basket case, the princess the brain or the criminal… it’s a new start and a new chapter. and if nothing else, always remember… “you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
note: you may find yourself wondering, looking at these snaps from my graduation, where is the young pup? i too find myself wondering that. he was camping. and not present at my high school graduation. or at my high school graduation open house. yes, i’m over it. and yes, i’d love to tell you more about how my youngest brother missed such an important milestone in my life. for this reason my attendance at his graduation festivities this weekend is tentative. just kidding brother… maybe… [i don’t hold grudges, i remember facts.]
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