It’s been almost two weeks since I last blogged! It feels like it’s been an eternity! So, let’s catch up on what’s been going on since we last talked (:

Here are the highlights of what I’ve been up to:

• Graduated from college (: (: (:
• Started my new Summer Housing Assistant Lead position
• Celebrated 3 months with Joe
• Moved in to a new place!

It’s been a productive two weeks, and I could not be happier. So, let’s get down to something a little more interesting.

Everyone tells you how great graduation is, and how excited they are to be going on to the real world, and it was great. I had a wonderful time, and it was phenomenal to look back and realized how much had happened over the past dozen years or so of schooling. However, here’s what they don’t tell you about graduation.

1. You may not be feeling your best – mentally, physically, or emotionally. I woke up feeling terrible. I was sneezy and coughing all over the place and my voice was reminiscent of a frog. Not cute. My graduation took place from 10am-12pm in scorching 98 degree weather with absolutely no breeze. Having to wear black in that was not enjoyable.

2. Eat breakfast. You’re going to need lots of energy for the 200+ photographs you’ll be taking. A girl behind me brought a mini cooler with food in it. I’m being totally serious.

3. It’s essentially a cattle call (that’s what we call it in the acting world – directors and all of the “important people” let almost anyone come and audition, and they give you a number and force you to wait hours for what could be 20 seconds to try to impress them). They gave all of the graduates a card for you to fill your name and information in to and then you hand it to them right before you walk the stage. If your name has more than 10 letters (as mine does), they will most likely butcher it (as they did for me).

4. Bring water. My school provided water bottles for us, but if they hadn’t we would have all had a heat stroke.

5. Decorate your cap. I didn’t decorate mine because I was afraid to mess it up, but I immediately wished I had once I saw how cool a bunch of them were. One of my favorites was a guy a few rows behind me who somehow had a teenage mutant ninja turtle on his. My second favorite was a girl (who was ridiculously fabulous, by the way) had Minnie Mouse ears attached to hers (including the big bow).

6. Wear waterproof mascara. I didn’t think I’d get emotional, but I definitely started to tear up right before they announced my name. I’m a little sentimental, I admit it.

7. Wear sunscreen. The last things you want are to be sunburned for all of your pictures and also to risk getting skin cancer.

8. Hide all of your weird pictures on FB. Your family (if they’re like mine) can and will blow them up at Kinko’s and then give them to your friends to hold up and take pictures with.

9. Go to the reception afterwards. The Theatre and Dance Department held one for their graduating seniors, and it was really important for me to tell all my professors how much they meant to me. They don’t get paid enough for not only sharing their knowledge with us, but also for sharing their lives with us.

10. Enjoy the day. This day will only happen once. Not everyone will get this same opportunity and no matter what it took to get to this big day, you made it. Be proud.