graduation day

I left Wellesley College in almost exactly the same way that I arrived at the college's main entrance four years ago: teary-eyed, reluctant, in a van full of my belongings and my supportive and loving family. After a whirlwind of new knowledge and skills, incredible meetings and encounters, the making of beautiful friendships and the sad breaking of old ones, the feelings of tragic heartbreak and incandescent elation, frustration beyond belief, and the relief of accomplishment...it's official: I am an alumnae of Wellesley College!

Today, I received my diploma, fancily printed in black ink and Latin on antique-colored paper and protected under clear plastic in an official navy blue diploma holder. I have received a B.A. in Economics and French, and now I am armed with that in addition to the W network, an increased awareness of the world, and a more urgent sense of responsibility as I step into the wide world of the unknown. But it is not that yellowed piece of paper, nor the opportunity to shake the college president's hand, nor the title of "Wellesley Alumna" that made this day so monumental, but rather the incredible feeling of truly understanding what an amazing experience that these past four years have given me.
I am embarrassed but not at all surprised by the reluctance with which I packed my bags and cardboard boxes to leave campus yesterday. There must have been a reason that it took so long for me to finally finish packing...I didn't want to leave! The beautiful friendships that we have built, the inspiring and encouraging mentors and professors that I had the chance to meet, the increased confidence, knowledge, strength, and independence that I like to think that I've developed, and the incredibly stimulating intellectual environment that Wellesley provides are all things that I will miss...already miss, dearly.

This Memorial Day weekend, my parents celebrated the graduation of two of their children, myself from Wellesley and my twin sister from Cornell! I can't imagine what it must feel like as parents, how proud they must feel, and I hope they know how amazing they have been. All the support, advice, encouragement, and at times, tough love that they've given us have all been essential, the reason that we were able to make it to this point in our lives.