On Graduation

For the longest time, the only reason I anticipated for my convocation was because I was attending so I needed to mark it in my calendar and expect it. I wasn't excited nor did I really want to go. I had deferred it from June due to my travels, but I think I mainly went because I knew my parents wanted to see me cross the stage as I am the eldest and first to finish University and all. So it felt more ritualistic and obligatory rather than a desire to celebrate the end of an academic journey.

As the day neared, I looked forward to it as it was a day off and I got to doll up, but I also started to see it as a wrap up to my academic journey. Thus, I started anticipating it, invited some friends to come despite it being on a weekday and an odd time of day, and wanted it to come and go as to say that my time with the U of A is finally wrapped up.

The day finally came and it started to hit me. From taking public transit to stepping foot on campus again, it felt weird. Odd. Strange. It was a tad surreal that I was finally convocating and a flood of memories of my undergraduate time came flooding back. All those papers, exams, late nights, early mornings, academic events, extra-curriculars, wow everything is all behind me now.

I still don’t think I will ever go back to school, but I am beyond glad to be moving into this new chapter called young-adult-work-life/career-start in my books.

When I went to pick up my gown and all, I still wasn't too stoked, I didn't look forward to having to read over the procedures or having to head to the Jubilee. This sure sounds so pessimistic doesn't it? The procedures to me felt like “school” so I definitely didn't want to be reminded of being in the shoes of a student.

But when I was finally putting on my gown and observing other excited graduates on campus and in the Jubilee, a sense of excitement came over me. I felt like celebrating and I even met a new friend in the washroom. It’s an interesting story of how we met… we both literally just “clicked” if you know what I mean. Anyhow, I was glad to meet her as we were both parent-less and friend-less at the moment so the timing was perfect and we got to know each other a bit and even take photos!

Things started going uphill from here on and I genuinely had so much fun at my convocation. From the photobooth to the smiles and hugs, I realize I had accomplish something big! I think having heard rants about convocation being long and boring and a waste of time probably made me pre-judge what convocating was all about, but I was terribly wrong. I honestly didn't feel the ceremony program was long at all. I felt inspired, the speeches were moving, the videos were touching, and making fun of the president sitting and talking like a boss made my day with a old classmate sitting next to me.

It was also a walk down memory lane. I got to see a very old co-worker I briefly worked with back in grade 12, I saw a T.A. I had in my second year, I saw a fellow highschool classmate walk across the stage, and most of all, seeing and hugging my favourite prof! God’s timing of things is just so peculiar and perfect as I would've never thought that I would cross the stage with these same people that I've crossed paths with. This comes to show (and I'm a firm believer in it) that everyone you meet in life plays a special role in your life, whether it is to learn from, grow with, teach you a lesson, or just to see again.

Well, I can’t believe I'm done, but in all actuality, I'm not. This is really just the beginning of what I do with my degree and where I take it. Though I've mentioned before that retail was never considered an option on my radar, I am happy where God has placed me now and I know it is and will be a period of growth from here on.

Congrats fellow alums!

Indescribable

I can't fully describe how I felt.

I walked into this room, and I immediately felt a surge of excitement, of joy, of immense gratefulness and celebratory evidence all around the room, and this wasn't even where the celebration was at. Faces smiling back at me-new and old, far and near, I felt like tears of joy wanted to burst out of my soul. We were all giddy spirits like graduates awaiting their name to be called up, but this was better.

I sensed something yesterday that lingers strongly in my heart and it was one of the best first steps I've taken into the sanctuary. It was like a zap of happiness from heaven through the doors of NEAC. The sanctuary felt fuller, livelier, and the power of the Holy Spirit was totally taking over. Worship always sweeps me off my feet, but yesterday was a special moment. It was a rare, but domino effect of a worship statement.

After service, I couldn't even wait to get ready and get to the venue for our 30th celebration. I somehow ended up doing some last minute prep work with the MCs and I honestly enjoyed every moment of it. I don't even know how I find myself in these positions, but some how, some way, my love for events just finds opportunities to serve for myself. Feeling the adrenaline rush, time ticking, and expressing stress with those I was with, even though I personally wasn't stressed at all was satisfying. My mind was also thinking about what I was going to wear, how I was going to do my makeup, the photobooth, the videos, the people, the energy, the effort and all the brothers and sisters who was going to be there, as well as all those who make our church what it is today.

I exclaimed at one point that I was having more fun then at a wedding and I'm actually thinking the abundance of truth in that statement. At a wedding, you are celebrating for two people uniting as one, two love birds, and the whole night is focussed on them too, but last night, the celebration was for everyone. We were all uniting as the body of Christ, and God was definitely in our midst and presence as we revisited all the blessings and challenges we've had over these 30 years.

The night ended way too young, but it was a Sunday so I can understand why. However, I couldn't stop recapping the whole night on my way home and at home as I constantly scrolled my social media feed for more. More photos, more hashtags, more smiles, more laughter, more faces. I am totally up for an after party next time. Even today, when I woke up, I was still overjoyed, and one of the first things I did was check Facebook to see if the photobooth photos were uploaded, and to my delight they were! Almost made me late for work, but it was worth it. I think my favourite part was sitting on the floor with other SICs and watching the ending video together. It felt so homey and comfortable just where we were at, like we were in someone's living room. And even though I had the honour to put together this video and watched it a dozen of times already, it felt different watching it then and there with everyone else.

Everything was worth it. One thing is for sure, this is just the beginning and NEAC will surely have many more "30 years!"

Let the JOY remain!

Technology-less

I feel I've logged way too much screen time since the start of September. Though my job does allow me to move and not sit on my butt, I feel I've constantly been partaking in the online world. I guess being in charge of social media at work and also taking on a few "screen" related video projects doesn't help, but I really need to cut it down or at least give my eyes more break time. I honestly feel I need to emphasis discipline in my life in this area (and a few others...) as I've noticed that certain habits that didn't bother me before, are starting to bother me now... I guess there is a turning point to everything-dang, I'm only 23! For example, I feel my eyes buzzing (if you know what I mean) and I don't get a good night's rest if I strained my eyes staring at a screen the night before, so I can't let these things go anymore if I still want 10, 20, 30 years down the road of healthy eyesight and more for myself. A bit of an exaggeration, but I really need to smarten up!

How fitting, because earlier on this month, my beloved HP laptop (don't hate Mac books xP) of three years and a bit decided to crash on me and lose it's internet connectivity. As I mentioned earlier, I took on some video project commitments, so this was quite a hindrance and annoyance as I would have to keep transferring information (photos, text translations) from a ghetto half broken laptop of my brother's that had internet connectivity, but nothing else, to my computer which had everything I needed, but internet. It was so frustrating at first, but as I started adjusting and debating on this dilemma into a good excuse to get a new laptop or not, I realize though that I started to stare at a "screen" less. I would log onto what I needed to log onto at work ( I know, I'm terrible, but it's convenient), such as email and the like, and when I was done, I was DONE. I've ran down my Facebook news feed less and have spent less time "killing" time on the internet and more time being productive with my online screen time as it's been such a hassle lately. So now, even though I'm lying on the carpet using my brother's ghetto laptop to type this blog post (it has to lean against a wall as the screen is broken (yes, it's that ghetto), it doesn't bother me too much anymore,

I don't know when I'll get a new laptop or what kind I will get, but my circumstances aren't so bad. I would put it into the category of first world problems, but it definitely puts my habits into perspective.

So here's to hoping I can cut down my usage even more and invest in more "offline" time with real faces and reality!

Remember to turn your clocks back today! I guess I don't have to worry about changing my broken computer... sigh*