Day 15: High School Graduation (30 Days of Days)

Confession:  My grandma loves photographs, so the majority of any pictures I have from my past, she has them.  

Day 15:  The Day I Graduated (Spotlight: High School Graduation)

Well, I already gave a glimpse to what the day of my graduation from Alcorn was like via Day 10  so I won’t go and rehash it.

I’ll take it back a bit farther. 

Back to May 1996. 

My high school graduation.  There was a variety of emotions going through me during the graduation. 

I had to admit that my high school years, particularly my senior year, was full of a lot of activity, which left me a bit spent on energy.  I was tired—from doing all the clubs, the AP classes, and working.

Yet, I was glad that I did have so much to keep me busy.  It kept me out of trouble, for the most part.

The only exception was the rebellion I started to experience my senior year of high school during my involvement with person T (some of the back story here), which Grandma highly disapproved of.  She had good reason, but if she hadn't protested as much, he and I wouldn't have stayed together as long.

Relationship wise, I was in kind of a mess.  Person T wasn't right for me at all, yet there was this banter going back and forth between him and me.  Although I admitted it was a mistake (myinteraction with him during prom), he thought it was proof that he and I needed to get back together. 

I was in and on again, off again relationship with this other guy, which felt more like off again—since I was hoping he would show up during my graduation, yet didn't appear until after all the festivities were over.  At least he didn't pull a no-show like he did with my prom, which led to my unfortunate incident with my ex because the other guy and I had a falling out due to the fact that I had already spent out money , and at the last minute, he couldn't take me.

Despite relationship woes and the rest, I felt proud.  

I was making history in a big way.  I wasn't the first to graduate from high school, but I was one of the first in the immediate family to graduate with such a high GPA—3.91. 

I would be the first to go to college.  I wanted to go to Alcorn State, although Jackson State and Dillard were battling hard to get me.  USM was also in the running, but I wasn't awarded a full scholarship with them like I had the others.  Alcorn State almost missed out because they sent me their awards package at the last minute, but I think they sped up the process once the rumor got out that I was seriously considering Jackson State, who is their biggest rival.

My biggest supporters were there—my grandparents.  I wouldn't have to deal with a lot of drama, since my mom decided not to show up. 

It was just a very peaceful time.  

In that moment, most people probably was glad their high school days were over and done with.  I look back upon it and think, “Man, things were so much simpler then.  When you were a senior, you were the cream of the crop.”

Then, you get thrown in college life, and you’re at the bottom of the barrel.  (shaking my head)

Day 15, that’s a wrap!

Peace!