Beginning is Easy, Continuing is Hard

"Nani goto mo hajimeru no wa tayasui keredo, tsudzukeru no wa muzukashii."

That was the proverb that I used in my speech at my college's diploma ceremony this past saturday.

I was Fordham College at Lincoln Center's Salutatorian for the class of 2006 - we don't have Valedictorians, and you need to be nominated for it. I was told that I have to give a speech on May 12, which gave me less than a week to figure something to talk about. I was totally shocked when the Dean told me - I am not one of the most popular/well-known people on campus (part of it is because I commuted, so I never really was on campus) so I figured something like that wouldn't happen.

So what did I speak of?

Whole Foods, Jamba Juice, the NYC Blackout in 2003, Bosox-Yanks rivalry and how my class is filled with ambitious and crazy people. Everyone said later that they loved the speech and laughed about my Whole Food crack (seriously, that and the Time Warner Center is my school's hangout, albeit an upscale one).

And then, I cried.
At the podium.

I am still a bit mortified, but the people took it pretty well I guess - I kept on hearing, "Aww," "We love you!" "Let it all out!" etc. from my classmates. I was going to say, "If I let it all out, you guys won't be getting your diplomas," but instead I said "Sorry, I'm a big mush." Apparently, when I cried, I let a stream of waterworks amongst my class, according to my friend Cat, two girls were blubbering "S-S-She's so *sniff* r-r-r-right."

If I wasn't the Salutatorian, I would be sitting next to Cat, muttering to one another because what else can you do at a graduation? At the main ceremony, one kid was smoking, two were reading books and another listening to an iPod. Chris Matthews talked a little too long about being in Swaziland in the 1960s as a Peace Corps volunteer.

So instead of talking to my friends, I had to listen to two professors sitting behind me during the diploma ceremony (because I had to sit on the STAGE, I just wanted to hide) commenting on the girls' shoes - whether it be flats, flip-flops, boots, or sky-high heels. Apparently, "Dirty-Dancing" shoes are making a comeback - I kind of got myself a pair from J.Crew (where else?) but they are brown suede, not gold. They came in gold, and in black, but I needed brown to go with my skirt. Very popular at the senior cruise, which was a bit of a dissapointment, although it was fun.

Captain Underwear proudly re-revealed himself, just as he did 4 years ago at Orientation. Dean Grimes announced the accomplishments of our class, and my friend Marc wore 5 Hawaiian leis with his cap and gown, as his family came from Hawaii and California. I had my family come up from Florida, but his entourage was bigger than mine. I had 13 people with me. And I wrote my name in glitter on my hat, with stars and a heart. I wanted to do something silly for graduation, and my grandmother was probably going to complain that she flew up here to see just a sea of black hats. But what really got me was that my family - and everyone else's - were calling me nonstop on my cell phone!

"Where are you?"
"When is it starting?"
"How long is it going to take?"
"I want to take pictures!"
...............

This is what I get for being born in 1984 and being a part of the Millenial generation - not only do all my friends have cell phones, but our PARENTS have them too. I had to cut off my mom as I was going to the bathroom between breaks. PLEASE, leave me alone, I have to pee and I am sunburnt! And there was only on bathroom close enough to Martyr's Lawn and of course, all the girls had to pee. I think when the men's room was clear, half the girl's line went there.

Fr. McShane was the best when he said at the main ceremony that "hell froze over" when the Bosox beat the Yanks for the AL Pennant to go on and win the World Series last year. In true Fordham fashion, half the crowd cheered, and the other half booed and hissed. Needless to say, one can tell the major demographics of Fordham as a whole: NYC Metro/Tristate/Mid-Atlantic Area vs. New England. As I was in London last year, I was fortunately spared the humiliation. You can tell where my loyalties lie, even though I am a Queens girl.

This past weekend was a blur, especially at the bbq my family had: 40 people. Kerri's grad party was yesterday.

It's all over.

It's all very surreal right now, because I am still going to Fordham to my job at the law school. So it's like the past two summers, where I did work-study in the admissions office. I graduated, but I am still here. It's not going to hit me till I get on that plane to Japan.

The Japanese are right when they created that proverb. Continuing and keeping at it is hard. I feel like I have been on hyperdrive for 4 years. At least it paid off, and I get a nice 4 month break this summer (though I will still study Japanese, just to keep at it).

But still, I am so tired.