Four years and one very expensive piece of paper later...

 Sunday was the big day! After four years, lots of readings, numerous papers, and approximately 3 hours of sitting in the sun I received that very expensive piece of paper that marks me as a college graduate.

Taking pictures in the Rose Garden.

Graduation weekend was intense. Saturday my parents arrived, I watched as several of my super impressive friends were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and then wandered over to Baccalaureate. Baccalaureate was long and hot, and I wished it was a little more like a Quaker meeting. I'm going to miss spending my Sunday mornings sitting in silence and prayer. After Baccalaureate I dragged my parents to some department receptions to meet my professors- and may of gotten an ego boast from hearing all the nice things they said about me. Then we meet up with my sister and her boyfriend and went to dinner. We were supposed to go out with a group of my friends and their families but there was a mistake with our reservation, so that didn't quite work out as plan. When we returned to campus we watched a beautiful fireworks show before telling each other goodnight.

Getting my rose for Commencement.

The next morning I meet up with some of my friends in the Rose Garden to pick out a rose to wear for graduation (Swarthmore tradition), and then went to breakfast with them and my family. After that was the big event: Commencement! I highly enjoyed the speakers, especially the one who gave a shout out to Peace and Conflict Studies majors saying, "Peace and Conflict Studies majors would reason you into submission. More like, talk you to death." Waiting for everyone to receive their diplomas was tiring, we had to stand while all the students receiving BA degrees walked, though I loved that someone placed a giant cut out of Where's Waldo in the trees right before we walked across the stage it definitely made my smile more authentic. Afterwards, I took a great many pictures, packed up the rest of my room, and headed on home with my parents.

The family!

People keep asking me how it feels to be a college graduate, the only answer I've been able to give is weird, because I haven't felt like a college graduate. I haven't felt like one because I'm working Alumni Weekend, so I'm already back on campus, sleeping in a dorm room again. I think that when I leave after this weekend, I will feel more like a college graduate.

Almost Graduated.... Almost.

Longwood Garden

These past couple weeks have been really strange. About three weeks ago I finished my undergraduate classes, and two weeks ago I finished all my work. I've spent the last two weeks hanging out around Swarthmore doing very little. It's been a strange feeling not having anything to do. One of my friends actually went through some really intense feelings of guilt over it... Swarthmore may have made us all workaholics who can't handle ourselves without work. I do not think I have quite grasped the idea that I will not have piles upon piles of homework to do everyday anymore, well at least until I go to grad school and that's at the very least a year away!

Fancy Dinner

This past week has been crazy. It's Senior Week here at Swarthmore. Basically, the college is trying to make up for running us ragged the past four years by giving us fun things to do and lots of food. Some of my favorite events this week included going to Longwood Gardens, the Phillies vs. Red Sox game (Phillies won!), fancy dinner, and Last Collection. Collections are a Swarthmore tradition, well really a Quaker College tradition, where the community comes together and listens to each other. During Orientation, all the freshmen attend First Collection which ends with a candle lighting ceremony and inducts you into the Swarthmore community. Last Collection also ends with a candle lighting ceremony, but it sends you out into the world. Our homework assignment was simple: go change the world, make it a better place-- well, maybe not so simple, but I think SALT is a good step in the right direction.

Phillies vs. Red Sox

My family is coming up to Swarthmore today! Today is Baccalaureate and department receptions. Tomorrow is the big day: Commencement. After tomorrow I will no longer be a college student, and I will officially be a college graduate! EEK!

Last Collection

In Fundraising news- since I know you are all dying to hear about it- the total donates on my MCC page has passed $2,000! According to Dad's calculations that combined with the donates from my home church, we've reached over $3,000, that's about 60% of my total goal. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated. If you haven't PLEASE donate