Whew!

What a day it's been. Despite some angst caused by getting lost on the way to East Jabip (also known as the Allstate Arena) for the ceremony, I finally graduated. The pic above was taken before I left for the ceremony. We're not allowed to keep the graduation "regalia." In fact, after the ceremony, we literally strip off the cap, gown and sash to return them.

My family - my dear, sweet family - are such troopers. They endured getting detoured for 20 minutes, having to park in the Target lot (and walking from the lot to the arena), and, of course, sitting through the 2 1/2 hour ceremony. God Bless them. I am so very lucky to have them in life.

Truthfully, the ceremony wasn't as long as it could have been. Don't get me wrong: it was long. My one friend brought a book to keep himself occupied.

But I was glad I did it. It was great seeing my friends, those who were in the trenches with me the past two years, all the wonderful people who let me bitch about this class or that professor. THANK YOU!

I've been so used to having classes and homework, I actually don't know what to do with myself now that it's over. Well, that's not exactly true: I'm going to love doing exactly nada next weekend - no library, reading for my own pleasure, not someone else's.

But seriously, having been consumed by school the last two years, it's like, who am I if I'm not a student?

Ah yes, someone who has to pay off student loan debt.

More pics here.