Pomp and Circumstance

Briana Crewe

“Pomp and Circumstance”
Every time I hear “Pomp and Circumstance” it brings back many memories and one of the best times of my life. Graduation is an exciting time in a person’s life, especially a high school graduation. No more high school! For some, it means that seniors are able to move on to the next chapters of their lives. Embarking on the independent journey of college is exiting and fulfilling. In most cases, family and friends gathering to celebrate a joyous occasion, makes the celebrant feel proud and accomplished. It never occurred that graduation would be the end of one’s youth and the start of adulthood. Graduation invokes various experiences such as childhood to young adulthood, enlightenment of life’s lessons, and family reunions. Graduating from high school was an influential event that gave me an altered outlook on my existence.
Life is full of transitions, and one of the more remarkable ones occurs when we get ready to leave high school and go out in the world. As young adults, everything changes, for example making decisions on your own. As a child, either your parents or teachers instruct you when to eat, sleep or to study. When you’re a young adult you make decisions on when to sleep and eat. As a young adult, one chooses between going to school, getting a job, or just as simple as brushing your teeth. Socialism is another transition choice that one must make. As a child, your parents determine who you associated with. As a young adult, the decision to socialize with a particular group is solely yours. We have to remember, “birds of a feather flock together”. On the other hand, adulthood sucks without friends to share it with. When you’re a kid, you have your family to form your core group and your support system, bring you soup when you’re sick and help put your heart back together when it gets broken. When you’re an adult, that’s what your friends and chosen family are for. They are there to love you unconditionally, and you better appreciate them for all the times they put up with you. You might not always deserve them, but they are there for you no matter what.
Life’s lessons are a continual and daily experience. As a college student, the urgency of obtaining a good education is paramount. After all, the young adult is now responsible for paying for their education. As a child, most of the public education is free. What a big change! Transportation is now the responsibility of a young adult, especially if the used vehicle their parents have loaned them is not good enough! Gas, insurance, car notes, registration, and inspections, oh did I mention, gas is the student’s responsibility. Although young adults are responsible for some things, they still aren’t fully independent. Young adults should remember “You can’t do everything.” When you’re in college or fresh out, you have all of these opportunities readily available, and you want all of them. Why become one thing when you grow up when you can be seven? But eventually, you’re going to have to decide what you want to be for the rest of your life and commit to what’s truly important. It sounds terrifying, and it is. You get the best gift out of it: discovering yourself.
The most important event high school students look forward to; whether it’s before or after graduation, is the graduation party! This is where all the family and friends get together to celebrate the graduates’ success. The family generally reminisces about the student’s toddler, tween and teenage years. Many family members don’t realize nor do they care if the graduate is embarrassed or not. What really matters is that the family has come together to fellowship with one another. After all, the family doesn’t come together often enough. Funerals, weddings and high school graduations are the major events of entire families. Who doesn’t want to be the center of attention? The young want to be in your place and the old wish they could be your age again. When the family gets together, it an opportunity for family members to get closer, gets you all talking to one another, and can spark meaningful discussions about important personal and social issues. Family is very important as it shapes our development and personality. The family protects your dignity and takes care of your well being. Family also gives us teachings that guide us throughout our lives and this are the values we carry everywhere we go. In addition, your family comes to your aid during hard times. Children thrive when family are able to actively promote their positive growth and development. I believe that without family graduation would definitely be a harder process to overcome.
High school is a whirl for anyone and everyone who ever attended. Graduation is still just one more step that leads to real life. The world opens itself up to the freshman college student and says, "Here I am. Do what you will." Opportunities, options for everything are suddenly available: stay in town or go away, do nothing or work or study, use drugs and alcohol or remain with virgin lungs and your chastity intact, live your life the way it was meant to be. High school teaches our students to live life as an exclamation, not an explanation. Graduation means that a student has survived the ultimate food chain, jumped through all the developmental hoops of the public school system, and bounded from tier to maturing tier with success and honor. Graduation is symbolic of doors opening up, angels singing, and real life being introduced to every senior walking across the arena stage with a diploma.