My greatest achievement yet, receiving my diploma

Like any other high school student I always looked forward to my high school graduation. All through high school I worked to the bone to get where I was including extra-curricular activities, accelerated/AP (Advanced Placement) classes and Saturday study halls, and a variety of regional and state competitions. Finally June 8, 2012 arrived. I remember the feeling of excitement....and also how tired I was to have to get up at 8:30 am to be at graduation practice at 9. I sat in the second row to the far left 21st of my class. I liked hearing the sound of Pomp and Circumstance because not only because I was graduating with 128 more students but the harmony of the song brought upbeat positive energy into the hot gym. After practice we were given our caps and gowns a yard sign that said congratulations and a cook out was held outside for all the seniors. When I received my cap and gown, that is when it all hit me... oh wow the day really is here. All within senior honors night and graduation practice I received two medals, everyone was given a Holmes medallion and I got a medal for being in the top 25 of my class, three graduation cords, one for National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society and SkillsUSA. 

So, I took it all home, got showered and all prettied up and I hesitated to put the gown on. One it was hot as could be outside, two again HOT OUTSIDE, and three reality was hitting me little by little. Finally I put it on and headed to the high school. My sister who had just ended the 6th grade was also in the high school concert band so my sister got to be at my graduation playing Pomp and Circumstance. We all crowded into the gym, everyone was exchanging hugs and congrats to each other. Then the principal called all of us to stand up it was time to march to the football field. I remember my hand shaking as I held my red rose that the school provided for all the girls on the graduating class. I took my seat, well stood up with the rest of the class as we waited for everyone else to take their seats. And, I imagine everyone was thinking the same as I was, hello it's hot, HURRY UP!! 

Once we all seated in our seats, the principal came up to us and announced himself to us and the crowd in the stadium bleachers. My mom, dad, sister, grandmother and my good friend and who I consider my second mother Kimberly was there to support me. My brother was in South Korea at the time so he had to miss out on the graduation but I did get a Skype call that night which made my night a little better. Finally after the valedictorian speech and guest speaker speeches it was time to hand out the diplomas. We all got to chose who gave us our diplomas, I chose my IT teacher of four years. 19, 20, 21st my turn to get up and get my diploma. I walked across the stage with the biggest smile on my face as I shook my teacher's hand and received a hug. I walked back to my seat and waited on the others to be called up. 

Once we were all back in our seats, the principal signaled us to stay standing up and called up the class president who gave her speech as well. Then the principal came back up and instructed us to turn our tassels to the right, and these were his exact words, "I present to you, the graduating class of 2012, go forth and prosper!" next thing you see is a sea of caps and tassels in the air, and we had practiced how to walk back but we all just joined together and walked back to the gym to get our actual diplomas to put in our covers. My father was waiting for me at the gate, I saw him he handed me a coke and a big hug, I remember shaking as he was hugging me, it was an interesting hug. Then I went and got my diploma and met my family back at the Senior Building and took pictures with everyone and hugged everyone. Then,... I guess reality hadn't quite settled in yet but I opened my cover, saw my name, the honors and shrieked, "Oh my god, it's my high school diploma, oh my god, high school is really over"

June 8, 2012 was the start of the rest of my life.