Graduation

My Graduation as a Samoan Child It was time, Chapin High School would no longer be my home as of June 15, 2013. The joy of knowing at the very moment I stepped across that stage I would feel as something I have never felt before, and after I knew it was time. A day to remember was in the making. I could remember it like it was yesterday morning. Waking up to the smell of the barbeque that all my cousins were making for my graduation party. All the loud voices coming from the kitchen from my aunt and mother. All I heard was “come to the kitchen and help before you get ready”, my mother shouted and let me be the one to tell you this was at 6 in the morning. So I helped for a little bit until I had to go get ready for my special day. The clock ticked at six thirty, I ran quick to grab the things I needed for my hair and of course my make-up. I sat on the chair and smiled so bright my cheeks started to hurt because I could not get over the fact that today was here and it was my day. My lovely aunt curled my hair and did my make-up as well. By the time she finished it was time for me to go.
Required to be at UTEP auditorium by seven thirty, I flew up the stairs to put my dress on. We all know girls huh, so of course by the time I finished getting dressed I arrived to the auditorium at seven forty-five fashionably late. As I ran to where I was supposed to be in my heels all that was going through my mind was “If I can run in these heels, I better not fall walking across this stage.” Finally I’m standing there in line, I stand there with the greatest feeling ever. I was about to walk and sit on the chair that had my name on it. As I stood there day dreaming about my special day, the line slowly started to move and my excitement just went out the roof.
Walking nervously down the aisle with my six inch heels, I saw all my family and friends screaming, shouting, and yelling my name from the top of their lungs. Holding a big poster that had my name and many pictures on it. I got to my chair and had the biggest smile on my face because it finally hit me more than before. The time was here, but I still questioned it “am I really graduating high school?”
First things first, as everyone got to their seats, One of the students stood up and said our class prayer. After everyone got seated our principle stood up and started to talk briefly. When she finished our last speaker came up to speak and as my heart crinkled with butterfly’s I knew it was almost time for everyone to stand row by row to receive their diploma.
Finally she was done talking and it was time to stand row by row, so I counted down until it got to me. Goodness it was time for my row to stand, and as we stood together and walked to the stage together with nothing but rejoice on my face. We looked at each front to back and said with such relief “we made it”. As our counselors said one name at a time, it was finally my turn.
As I stood there and heard Musu Noekaralani Ifopo, I walked across that stage grabbed my diploma and looked directly at my parents and the smile said it all. As we all received our diplomas, it was sad to say that our day was coming to an end.
As the building got quiet the sound of our last song started to be heard and the balloons slowly came down from above. This was it as tears filled my eyes my heart dropped and it was time. Slowly walking out I took one look back because I knew I would never get the chance to graduate with the lovely ones I have graduated with. As I turned my head back the other way all I saw was my huge family and friends. As I walked to them, they all came and gave my lei’s (candy and flower necklace). I had so much that it covered my whole body and my mother kept taking some off to give to other students. After taking picture after picture we were finally leaving UTEP and now the fun began. We got to the house, everyone was rushing. They were running everywhere from the front of the house to the back of the house trying to get all the party stuff ready to load up to take to the hall. Feeling helpless because I was not able to help get things ready but instead I was just dropped off at the hall and told to get ready. They fixed all the tables, put my banner up, and served everyone as they arrived to the party. When everyone was eating, my family and I performed a few traditional dances from a different islands.
We performed Hawaiian, Samoan, and Tahitian traditional dances. After all our performance, my parents did the whole traditional Samoan money thing. When all our important family members get money from my parents as a thank you note for showing up and coming to support me. After all the traditional Samoan preparation, the party finally got started. The Music was loud, family and friends were dancing, everyone was enjoying themselves. Knowing this was only a one day experience, I would never trade it for anything else. Having reaching my long term long when I was younger, means the world to me. Graduating from high school is the first to begin my life. Now that I had reached my first step stone, there will be many more to reach. Graduating high school was the most important thing in my life during my teen age years.