Pompous Circumstances

May 21, 2006: Graduation. I'm hoping to leave Marquette with some wisdom, a little dignity, good friends, and great memories. Four years have passed since I came as a wee freshman, and now I'm leaving as a wee graduate. An alumnus. Some people told me that they just couldn't believe it's been four years. (Mother says it felt like only three - then again, she's senile). But looking back, I feel it's been a solid four. Now, for a streaming highlight reel in quotes and inside jokes.

Bible Bowling. Stalking "Mousy Girl". Chunky Butters. Sober Angel. Camps. Dance Committee. Babysitting. Cult of the RA. Mama Ray Ray. Mountain of Frappuccinos. Photos of me in a nightie. Dressing as a gay trucker from 1987. MKDD2K4. "Friends spoon all the time!" Bajanga-bajanga-bajanga-bajanga. "Colt." Manscaping Conversations. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love." Apples and coots. Maracas-breasts. In-out-in-out-in-out. Monologue mode. Adult Time. Business Andrew. Friday night club. Photos of me in a dress. Drunken MKDD2k4. Manifestos. "Oh, Sugar, Sugar!" Mountain of Porn. Too much shopping. The Sweater. Summer depressing movie club. Margaritas. The Blazer. Suit Premiere Party. "Drill Bill." The Help. Vegetarianism. Slumber Party. Thursday Night Club. Julie's underwear. Sidling. A. Crew and Rand McNelli: Leading with style and direction. Emotional Andrew.

And that's just off the top of my head! That's not including the memories closest to my heart, which cannot possibly be expressed here. So yes, it has been a solid four years of ups and downs, jokes and tears, trials and tribulations, and ending with Pomp and Circumstance (Whatever that means). I will no longer say it's been a long four years, because if that's how long it took to make me who I am today, then not a moment was wasted. So thank you to everyone who has contributed to my four years at Marquette. Thank you for every joke, every hug, every tear, every memory, every moment.

Fin.

With the completion of my last final exam at Marquette, I am done! Now all that is really left is the packing, moving, bumming around, and sitting through boring ceremonies!

Packing, how I loathe thee. Nothing else quite points out the fact that I have way too much crap. I am going to have to minimize some stuff this summer. Especially clothes. Gasp! I know, but it must be done. Also, it's one of the more emotional times for me. Going through the boxes, stumbling upon a lost photo or two, or maybe a letter, or a card. The memories inspired by such a memento seem like I'm watching a movie. Did that really happen? Most of my memories seem like a dream, and faced with evidence that they are indeed real, it's like being jolted awake. Confused, not really knowing where I am, and then everything finally sinking in. "Oh, right..."

I do wish that graduation were this Sunday. I just want to get through the sitting around, blah blah blah, whole family thing. Then celebrate. Instead, I get to go home for a few days, come back and crash at my brother's house/Riederer's apartment, then sit through graduation type stuff. Clearly, I need to be in charge of these things. I'm not terribly excited about all of this. Maybe it's because I know this is just one stage completed, and I still have three grueling years ahead of me. Or maybe it's because I've just been looking to get out of here, get away from the massively uncomfortable social situations (as opposed to my normal, regularly uncomfortable social situations). Maybe I just want to put this all behind me, into that pseudo-dream world of memory. Probably all of the above.

It's been a pretty good end of my time here at Marquette. All things considered. All the ceremonies, the various pieces of recognition, they all mean a great deal to me. It's nice to know that some people out there think I have made a difference to them, and to Marquette. Not a huge, earth-shaking difference, but a difference nonetheless. And I guess that's all I could really hope to ask for. Well, that and a pony.