The hype of finishing high school is basically everywhere. Despite the fact that I couldn't graduate along my class both in Indonesia and America didn't affect the fact that I'm truly thrilled to be part in the graduation ceremony, although I couldn't be part of the graduation ceremony in Indonesia.
Seeing (most of you) smiles for this somewhat sacred ceremony made me think about what I have graduated myself from. My exchange year. All of you both busy preparing for college, exams, and so on, and us--the exchange students--were busy preparing our departure, getting along with people, getting busy, fulfilling projects, and lastly, preparing to go home.
Despite the major difference of what we're graduating from, there's no doubt that we are finally going to hop in to the other doorstep that will bring us to the other adventure. No, I mean, literally. It's like getting off the toilet seat (I couldn't find a better example). No matter how comfortable you feel, at one point, you have to get up, flush it, go out from the bathroom, and start doing different things.
And that's how's life going to roll. Because in the end, the warm toilet seat that you deeply enjoy will eventually be uncomfortable, the warm, hot shower will start to suffocate you, and the bathroom's temperature will start to go down. And when you finally decide to move on, people around you will notice, that you are committing yourself--ready or not--to the new adventure, by smiling in that stage, receiving your diploma, maybe take some edgy pictures while shaking hands with the principal--made you feel more important once in a while--go down and smile again for the same of your mother's camera, and slowly but confidently, walking towards your seat.
And, and, despite that your moment of importance only lasted for not even five minutes, and now you were seated back to the same seat before you had your moment of importance, just realized that life is changing as easy as walking down the stairs. Life is even changing although you're still sitting on the same seat. And life will not ask your permission to change, because it will roll on, and on, and on.
Whatever that we just have gone through, just one of those small roll-one that is happening in the present soon-to-be past. We may want to make it last longer by taking pictures with friends, having special dinner or whatsoever, fine, do that, but do realize, no matter how hard you want to keep that moment of importance, life is changing.
And all you need to do is stir where it should go. To become the important present that you valued once. To become the now that you always brag about. Most of all, to be excited of what always happen, that what used to happened.
Anyway, this rambling is mostly because of my excitement of graduations everywhere. For those who are graduating for any educational institutions, great job in finishing one of your great adventure, hope you'll do great in the next adventure, as always. For you, my dear exchange students comrades, congratulations in (nearly) finishing your yet-another great adventure. Another blank book is waiting for us to write, sketch, ramble in it, as that's what exchange students do--we make epic stories. And we mad our present epic, too. Good luck ahead!
For Denisse, Adrian, Jaki, Davidson, Sarah, Sharon, Laura, Pavel, Morgan, Nick, Josh, (another) Sarah, Lena, Tatyana, Cortney, Briana, Kylie, Marshall, Kristen, those whom I can't mention since I'm so terribleat remembering names,
For Ayu, Manda, Khodi, Lidya, Irin, Abduh, Ocha, Ayudew, Tatwadhika, Dika, Erysa, Yoan, Tasha, Jo, Maudi, Adit, Deandra, Dita, Kiput, Muthi, Syifa, Endah, all #fiesta, #simaung, debaters,
For all Class of 2013 around the world,
And especially for you, my fellow exchange students,
Have a (yet-another) great adventure!
