Do you know that feeling of finally completing all your tasks? The feeling which comes upon you when a week’s supply of homework is finally done and submitted, and you can finally rest, waiting for the results you already know will be positive. The feeling, I was told is similar to the relief a new parent gets after finally placing their rowdy little baby to sleep. I felt relieved, somewhat free, after rising and strutting to the podium to receive my elementary school diploma. No more homework, no more lessons, no more drama, no more nothing. And then I remembered freedom will only last for two months. And then all of a sudden, I remembered that I had registered and I was going to do a summer course for an extra credit. And then I remembered the preps I needed to do for high school. And then I remembered life is never a break with my mother around. But that is beside the point; I am proud to call myself a graduate of the class of 2015 for San Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Elementary School.

On Monday, June 22, 2015, after leaving school a little early, I arrived home, bathed thoroughly and applied a supple amount of lotion. Following that, I dressed up in my well ironed suit which, in my opinion, had me looking to be counted among the best dressed for the day. My sister and I were driven in fashion to Le Parc Convention Center, the venue for the ceremony, dinner, and special events that followed. Arriving precisely at 5:30 PM, the agreed upon meeting time, I entered the hall only to be greeted with a wonderful view. All my friends were dressed in a manner so civil; the ladies elegant and radiant, the gentlemen charming like well groomed royalties. We mingled for a while; laughing and chatting, taking numerous pictures, and munching on pizza and spring rolls as appetizers. Then when 6:00 PM came along, our ceremony began.

All guests gathered in the adjacent large hall and took seats at their designated tables. We the graduates-to-be stood in a single file in alphabetical order outside the hall, ready to walk in. But wait, one of our classmates was not present. For the sake of saving HIM from embarrassment, I will cease from releasing his name. We entered once the music started to play and formally walked to our reserved seats, several camera flashes blinding our poor souls’ eyes. I took this moment of confusion as an opportunity to low-five my mother as I passed by her beaming face. We then sang the national anthem, led by one of my singing sensation classmates. We sat and after a prayer led by Fr. Noel, we were suddenly bombarded with three or four speeches. Though they were short, my peers’ patience was greatly tested, we metaphorically stood strong in our seats up until the end.

Then came the diploma receiving part proceeding. This was a loud and noisy process as all students were quite restless. Remember when I told you one classmate was missing? He arrived in the middle of the ceremony, later saying that he was informed to meet at 6:30 PM. The funny part is that his mother is a teacher at our school. Irony is funny that way.

Anyways, after receiving our diplomas, we were then dispatched to our seats ready to hear who won what awards. Teachers from all grade levels came to announce them. The first 5 recipients were all ladies, and the boys started grumbling, then the boy’s names started coming in, and towards the end, I heard my name being called for the Male Athlete of the year Award and then the Valedictorian Award, in succession, which came with a $50 check and two plaques with my name engraved on. I then went up to the podium to read my Valedictorian speech. Though I stuttered a bit in the beginning and my mic fell from its stand, my well written speech caught the attention of the whole audience. I was congratulated by many staff, parents, and peers afterwards.

Then came the time to eat. The dinner ended up being a measly meal of mediocre bread, okay salad and pasta, and terrible chicken as well as a subpar serving of barely cooked fries and chicken nuggets for those considered children. My mom went to McDonald’s to eat a $7 meal, which my Nigerian friend’s father said is way MUCH better than what we were served at $50 a meal.

After taking several pictures, watching a slide-show holding many grade 8 memories, and having a parent-graduate dance in which my mother and I danced quite frankly the best with our no-touching Tanzanian style in which our bodies moved back and forth in a fluid motion which my friends and their parents heavily praised, the family left (45 minutes late in fact) for it was now time for the graduation dance. We danced to fast, party music as well as slow dancing music which required us men to request the hand of a willing girl. I danced with this one girl whose name I shall leave confidential. I even had a song dedicated for the two of us. After about an hour which was supposed to be two hours, the parents came to pick up their children, ending all of the fun.

Oh!!, let me not forget to tell you that before we started to dance, we were all given these bracelets to wear on our wrists. Little did we know that these bracelets had fluorescent fluids in them, and so when the lights were turned off, they all glowed, some green, others yellow, red and all the colors in between. I wonder what the purpose was; I can only guess, so I hope a reader of this blog piece can enlighten me on that.

My graduation was a great experience, and now officially a grade 8 graduate, or should I say a grade 9 student-in-waiting, newer responsibilities will soon come. I will be going to high school next September and I believe that with everything I learned from my teachers and parents, with hard work and determination, the sky is the limit. Hopefully, I will still be writing and posting on this blog by the time my next graduation comes along.

Angelous Ginanena.