I attended my first high school graduation last night since my own graduation 24 years ago. While we waited for my niece's ceremony to start, I tried to think back and remember my own graduation and...I can't. I don't. I've got...nothing. I mean, it happened. I know it happened because they let me into college and they usually don't unless you manage to actually get through high school and have the diploma to prove it. My memory is overall pretty great, but on this event, I seem to draw a blank.
I did, however, learn a few things at this most recent graduation ceremony.
1) Teenager girls like to wear very high heels. When did this happen? Has this always been going on? I do not remember that when I was a teen, but then, I'm in my 40s now and I still do not like to wear high heels. Definitely not the sky high ones I saw teetering and tottering across that stage last night. I am truly baffled. It was either high heels or an array of flip flops. The mind reels.
2) Teenage girls also need to learn to cover up. Or wear pants. I know, I know, that sounds prudish and if so, then I'll own it and revel in it, but damn, those girls need to cover up a little bit! Not all of them, but some of them. Seriously. I saw a few too many dresses cut nearly up to their behinds and I don't want to see that on any woman, but especially not a teenager. For me, that shows someone without a lot of respect for themselves. Someone will likely tell me that it's just how fashion is these days and blah blah blah, but I'm still a fan of some modesty. Just because you've got it, doesn't mean you need to flaunt it. Especially not if you're a young girl.
3) People are rude and trashy, no matter where you go. This was out in full force last night from the people who chose to ignore the request by the school AND by the senior class not to hoot and holler for their specific graduate. That was something else I simply did not understand. Everyone was asked not to do that, soooo...why did people still do it? Is it simply because we live in a world where people no longer seem to care about propriety or respect or decorum? Where the Kardashians are looked up to as role models, but the leaders of the world - be the religious or political or whatever - are bashed at every opportunity? Or is it just because some people are low class and trashy? Because that's what I consider that behavior - plain old low class and trashy. What added insult to injury was that at least 50% of the people who did it would laugh and smile and immediately get up and start to leave the venue because they knew they were going to be kicked out. They knew, but they did not care. Maybe I'm just a rule-follower and I'm ok with that, but I was offended and annoyed by the behavior last night. Try to stay classy people. At least try.
4) Did I mention that people are rude and trashy? We had the "pleasure" of having a lady and her little boy come sit behind us last night and she yapped the entire time. Yapyapyapyapyapyapyap. And her kid would not shut up either. I felt bad for him because he was maybe 5, in which case he really should not have been there and expected to sit still and be quiet. I have enough trouble doing that at my age; I rarely expect it out of a little person like that. My sister-in-law definitely did not appreciate him kicking her seat. Finally my ex-sister-in-law turned around to the woman - who had been keeping up a running dialogue with...someone...about whether or not to hoot and holler for her daughter (she did) and how everyone else was doing it and once she did it how her daughter was not going to be happy about it - and told her that they either had to shut up or leave. The woman looked at her and said, "Really??" to which the reply was "Yes, really." She muttered something about my ex-SIL being rude (clearly, she needed a mirror to hold up to herself) and a few minutes later she did finally leave. Blessed silence ensued. I've never been so grateful.
5) High school kids are pretty much the same throughout history. And I mean that in a good way. They were hopeful and excited and ready to graduate and celebrate. They seemed to have a great time tossing their hats in the air at the end and shouting out a few school spirit cheers (I assume that's what it was since I couldn't actually understand it). I imagine most, if not all, of them were sitting there wondering what the future was going to hold and what life was like outside of high school. The speeches some of them gave were basically what you'd expect to hear from high schoolers on the verge of spreading their wings. "Look forward, remember to also look back. Cherish the memories and the friendships because we will never all be together like this again." The more things change, the more they stay the same...
6) You can compete and still be friends. The valedictorian and salutatorian gave their speeches together, each taking a turn with what they wanted to say. They talked about how they met freshman year and both wanted to be the valedictorian of the class and kept up that friendly competition throughout high school. The young ladies said that they knew the class was all going their separate ways now, but hoped that some people would remain friends and that one day everyone would have at least one person still in their lives that they could say "I've known them since high school." They knew that they would be that person for each other. I hope the rest of the class was listening to them and that their wish for their classmates will come true.
Ah yes, I do not remember my own high school graduation, but I imagine it went a little something like all of that (except maybe more big hair than short skirts). I wouldn't want to go back and have to do it all again, but I'm not sorry I was there the first time. I've got a 25th reunion on the horizon next year and I'm still on the fence about going or not going to that. I loved being at my 20th reunion, but sometimes it better to keep looking forward than to spend any more time looking back.
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| Proof that I graduated from high school. Uh...that kind looks like me, right? Me then, at least. |
1) Teenager girls like to wear very high heels. When did this happen? Has this always been going on? I do not remember that when I was a teen, but then, I'm in my 40s now and I still do not like to wear high heels. Definitely not the sky high ones I saw teetering and tottering across that stage last night. I am truly baffled. It was either high heels or an array of flip flops. The mind reels.
2) Teenage girls also need to learn to cover up. Or wear pants. I know, I know, that sounds prudish and if so, then I'll own it and revel in it, but damn, those girls need to cover up a little bit! Not all of them, but some of them. Seriously. I saw a few too many dresses cut nearly up to their behinds and I don't want to see that on any woman, but especially not a teenager. For me, that shows someone without a lot of respect for themselves. Someone will likely tell me that it's just how fashion is these days and blah blah blah, but I'm still a fan of some modesty. Just because you've got it, doesn't mean you need to flaunt it. Especially not if you're a young girl.
3) People are rude and trashy, no matter where you go. This was out in full force last night from the people who chose to ignore the request by the school AND by the senior class not to hoot and holler for their specific graduate. That was something else I simply did not understand. Everyone was asked not to do that, soooo...why did people still do it? Is it simply because we live in a world where people no longer seem to care about propriety or respect or decorum? Where the Kardashians are looked up to as role models, but the leaders of the world - be the religious or political or whatever - are bashed at every opportunity? Or is it just because some people are low class and trashy? Because that's what I consider that behavior - plain old low class and trashy. What added insult to injury was that at least 50% of the people who did it would laugh and smile and immediately get up and start to leave the venue because they knew they were going to be kicked out. They knew, but they did not care. Maybe I'm just a rule-follower and I'm ok with that, but I was offended and annoyed by the behavior last night. Try to stay classy people. At least try.
4) Did I mention that people are rude and trashy? We had the "pleasure" of having a lady and her little boy come sit behind us last night and she yapped the entire time. Yapyapyapyapyapyapyap. And her kid would not shut up either. I felt bad for him because he was maybe 5, in which case he really should not have been there and expected to sit still and be quiet. I have enough trouble doing that at my age; I rarely expect it out of a little person like that. My sister-in-law definitely did not appreciate him kicking her seat. Finally my ex-sister-in-law turned around to the woman - who had been keeping up a running dialogue with...someone...about whether or not to hoot and holler for her daughter (she did) and how everyone else was doing it and once she did it how her daughter was not going to be happy about it - and told her that they either had to shut up or leave. The woman looked at her and said, "Really??" to which the reply was "Yes, really." She muttered something about my ex-SIL being rude (clearly, she needed a mirror to hold up to herself) and a few minutes later she did finally leave. Blessed silence ensued. I've never been so grateful.
5) High school kids are pretty much the same throughout history. And I mean that in a good way. They were hopeful and excited and ready to graduate and celebrate. They seemed to have a great time tossing their hats in the air at the end and shouting out a few school spirit cheers (I assume that's what it was since I couldn't actually understand it). I imagine most, if not all, of them were sitting there wondering what the future was going to hold and what life was like outside of high school. The speeches some of them gave were basically what you'd expect to hear from high schoolers on the verge of spreading their wings. "Look forward, remember to also look back. Cherish the memories and the friendships because we will never all be together like this again." The more things change, the more they stay the same...
6) You can compete and still be friends. The valedictorian and salutatorian gave their speeches together, each taking a turn with what they wanted to say. They talked about how they met freshman year and both wanted to be the valedictorian of the class and kept up that friendly competition throughout high school. The young ladies said that they knew the class was all going their separate ways now, but hoped that some people would remain friends and that one day everyone would have at least one person still in their lives that they could say "I've known them since high school." They knew that they would be that person for each other. I hope the rest of the class was listening to them and that their wish for their classmates will come true.
Ah yes, I do not remember my own high school graduation, but I imagine it went a little something like all of that (except maybe more big hair than short skirts). I wouldn't want to go back and have to do it all again, but I'm not sorry I was there the first time. I've got a 25th reunion on the horizon next year and I'm still on the fence about going or not going to that. I loved being at my 20th reunion, but sometimes it better to keep looking forward than to spend any more time looking back.
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