so this is my final entry as an undergraduate at st. michael's.

we had a bunch of Important Graduation Weekend Events today--baccalaureate (i know i must have butchered the spelling on that one) and then the senior banquet. i've managed to maintain my wits throughout the past couple of days--actually, to a shocking degree...i thought i'd be a basket case--but i started to crack a bit today. as if donning the caps and gowns wasn't terrifying enough, we walked the procession route with the bagpipes and everything. fortunately, i was able to focus on keeping my tassel from blowing into my face whenever i started to feel emotional.

baccalaureate was decent enough. it was long, but i know graduation will be just as long, so whatever. i'll have drew in my row tomorrow, i think, and billy was behind me today, which was cool. i don't know--i guess it's just the realization that i'm supposedly "grown up" now--whatever the hell that means.

the senior banquet was alright--mike came closertothis to making me cry. i got an award for my work with defender--the john d. donoghue award--and mike presented it to me and talked about me and was incredibly sweet. i was determined to not cry in front of everyone, thought, and i was good.

michelle was presented with a community leader award from the class, yay!!! becca got the mlk award--i would have started a riot if she hadn't, chuckie received a huge award (much deserved)--i was very proud of everyone. hell, i'm proud of all the graduates--we made it through four years!

a family social at the sheraton followed--my parents had to head home, though, because they have to wake up early to get here and my grandmother, uncle and brother were waiting at home--which was fun. it felt quite a bit like my first alumni social--a lot of people i didn't know with the faces of friends and classmates--which was a bit disarming, but nice.

so yeah. tonight i finish cleaning up my room and the house, write out somethings, relax a bit, and then sleep in my bed for the last time. wake up early, get ready and be at the class photo at 9, then prepare for commencement.

i'm going to cry like a baby.

so, i guess i can offer my final thoughts of good ol' smc before the alumni association starts hitting me up for money:

good times. good people. the four years were a blur, but a good blur. thank yous go out to those who have shaped me along the way--you all know who you are. friends, professors, random people who popped into my life, everyone has had an effect on me, and i can honestly say that i'm happy with the way things have turned out.

alright, so i'm not even going to go into that anymore right now, because i can feel myself starting to cry...i'm going to get back to my chores for the night.

oh...chuckie gave me a card with hayden christensen on it!!! I LOVE MY FRIENDS!!!!!!!!