after my graduation dinner and dance last night, i began to reminisce of past friends and foes, present endeavours, and future planning. with all of these random thoughts running through my head, the concept of graduating from high school refused to phase me as the night pressed on. it wasn’t until following the after-grad party that i actually started to realize how unique this night was. one more week of final exams, yearbook signing, and receiving of diplomas, and i will never be in the same room with the 200-something grads of 2001 again. it may seem like a strange notion to be running through the head of a little girl at 5:00 AM as she returns home from a lively party with her grad class.

some of the people i would never want to see again — good ridance. but others, i will honestly miss. of all the over-achievers, the under-achievers, the rowdy white boys, the shy honger girls, and the inspiring teachers, only several will remain in my vision as i progress with life.

“in university, you’re just a number,” said mr. b to me last night as the rest of grads danced to daft punk in the background. and he’s right. in high school, i’m the cynical chinese girl who supplies the random sarcastic remarks. in post-secondary, i’m a no one. i’m just another face. the transition is going to be hard. that’s the precisely the reason why the suicide rate for first-year students is so incredibly high.

but i will survive.