The Tassel is Worth the Hassel!

 There is a good reason they call these ceremonies "commencement exercises."  Graduation is not the end; it's the beginning.  ~Orrin Hatch

Graduation – WOW!  Who would have thought that a ceremony would invoke such strong emotions?  I was very surprised!  Kale, Brynanne, and I drove down early so that we could have group pictures taken.  It was amazing to me how just putting on the cap and gown seemed to transform us into a new group – no longer students, but officially part of the nursing world. 

As we walked across the stage on our way to our seats, I heard “Way to go, Hija!”  from Tasha and Bubba.  I thought that I would die from the pride that I felt!  Perhaps it is selfish, but listening to all of the speakers sing our praises and hearing the cheers from the audience filled me with a huge sense of pride.  I had worked very, very hard for this day, and it felt wonderful to be praised for it.

After the graduation ceremony, we had the nursing pinning ceremony.  This was much less formal, but just as wonderful.  Kale had been asked to write a poem about our two years in school, and it was wonderful!  On the way down, he asked me if I was going to be speaking at graduation, and I assured him that I wasn’t.  He said, “you have to speak – it is a big part of my poem”.  Too bad!  I wasn’t on the schedule to speak – and that was just fine with me.  Well, little did I know what he had up his sleeve!  He pulled Sally, our Program Administrator, aside and told her that I needed to speak at the pinning.  So, next thing I know, Sally informs me that I need to speak!  Whoa!  Nothing like having no notice and nothing prepared!  However, after hearing Kale’s poem, I was glad to comply.

I took just a few minutes and talked about how far we had come.  How we thought Dee had been speaking Greek during our first classes and how he had molded us into model students with excellent work ethics.  I also talked about how scared we were during those first clinical when we would see his white lab coat coming around the corner because we knew that we were either going to be quizzed on medications or he was going to drill us on our “Care Plans”.  I shared the nervousness we felt when drawing up our first injection, and giving our first “real” shot.   I talked about the trials we had as the first cohort to go through the nursing program at Eagle Gate College, and how much we have learned.  I also reminded them that through it all we have become lifelong friends.  I was amazed that I wasn’t really nervous as I was speaking, I was just stating what I was feeling.

What a great night!  One that I will always remember. 

The tassel's worth the hassle!