graduating is so fricken expensive!
i have spent so much money on this process. $20 for apsa grad banquet, $100 for pictures, $70 for announcements, $60 for cap and gown (with an extra tassel and a ucsd stole), $20 for KP p-grad among other things. but i figure what the hell...i'll only graduate from college once right?
so i havent updated this thing in a while cuz i have been busy with the graduation hoopla. this week is my final week of instruction ever @ ucsd, and as i write this, there are only 9 days left until i step onto rimac field to bid my final adieu to this university. the fact that i'm graduating did not hit me until i participated in APSA's grad banquet this past saturday. before then, i was just whatever about graduating, but when the ceremony was going on, i was suddenly hit with a rush of memories and the realization that my time here is just about over. when the graduates were each called up, i had to pause a bit to take a deep breath before they put the sash around my shoulders. that moment was too surreal for me...after participating in so many grad banquets in the past, i couldnt believe that that moment was my own. grad banquet was great...i had a lot of fun, and jill was a great date! but the night cannot be explained in words.
in addition to ending my time in apsa, i also ended my time with the summer bridge program after being a part of it in some way or another since 1999. i found out that i was not hired to be senior staff for summer bridge 2004, so i finished up my duties. i had my final one-on-ones with my students from intersuite 450, and cleaned out my office. it's weird that i have untethered myself from my 2 main anchors here at ucsd, to find my way elsewhere.
today was the ethnic studies reception, and i was presented with a graduation stole from the department. who woulda thought that i would be honored by the ethnic studies department 5 years ago when i hated the ethnic studies classes i was taking? another surreal moment.
next week is KP's p-grad...more last minute memories and reminisces amongst friends...and then i'm out.

so what will you be doing on saturday june 12, 2004? i know what i will be doing. stay tuned...we'll be back after these messages =S