alumnus status

On a sunny afternoon in April, IB, SL, and I were riding what was then the Blue Route leaving Barracks. Sitting near the back of the bus, we overhear this phone conversation this girl was having…“Girrrl, guess what? I am a F-O-U-R-T-H year, FOURTH YEAR! Yeeeaah girl!”

This, presumably, junior/third year was so hype to be a fourth year. Her hypeness was infectious, I was feeling mad hype. Grinning ear to ear.

This was 2 years ago. It was about the time I was finishing my second year and those words have been scorched into my memory since. I tell you this story to tell you this story…

Fast forward to a sunny Sunday morning in May. I stand on the North Lawn with literally thousands of fourth years. Overdressed for the weather, all of us wearing black. I thought back to 2 years earlier…Chiiillld, I am G-R-A-D-U-A-TING!

In the midst of this sea of black, I had one of those “revelations”. I didn’t know anybody in this crowd, looking and feeling as lost as lost can be. After an eternity of wandering, I stumbled upon my first year hall mates and took a million pictures with them. Slowly, but surely enough I saw more and more people I know, also doing the same.

In that span of time waiting for commencement to start, my first through fourth years fast forwarded in front of me. We're marching now???

Stepping down from the Rotunda, onto the Lawn, and into the masses was surreal. The masses of Halloween on the Lawn don’t even hold a candle to the people there that day. For the first time in a long time I remember what it truly means to have人山人海. At the same time I could not help but 笑容可掬, just like I did 2 years earlier.

Of course following commencement exercises (aptly named, emphasis on the “exercises” part) were the obligatory millions of pictures taken with la famiglia. Eating and hilarity ensued. Moving out for real, for real was so sad. Au revoir IRC, you will be missed!

It’s been more than a week since that Sunday. Where has the time gone?