I’m a graduate and it’s still very hard to believe… that’s probably why I’m blogging about it; blogging always makes me think about what I’m talking about.
Before I elaborate on what it feels like to be a high school drop– uh… graduate, why don’t I tell you all about the biggest weekend of my life and the weekend that began my “adult” life.
For those of you who only know me as a blogger, 
you might not have know that I’ve never gone to school a day in my life, the reason being I’d been homeschooled from start to finish. The majority of those years, I’d been educated with Abeka Academy, a distance education program based in Pensacola, Florida. I started doing video classes with Abeka in grade 7, which allowed me to become part of a class with teachers that I could favour or dislike as I pleased. Completing my studies in Abeka’s accredited program was what allowed me to attend the Abeka graduation, along with some 510 graduates.
Now that history is settled, and you know everything about me, let me tell you about the weekend were the fun happened.
several other of my video teachers
Everything began on Friday, and the excitement as well as numbness was real! We arrived on the Pensacola Christian College campus where most of the weekend’s activities would take place. After an assembly in an auditorium that seated several thousand people, I took a tour of the college campus and was very impressed with what I saw; I knew if I became a student there, I’d get lost among all the pretty buildings that could easily make up a tiny city. Probably the most exciting was seeing the video teachers in person and touring the Pensacola Christian Academy (PCA). As I roamed the colourful halls and saw the familiar video classrooms, all those classes I’d taken suddenly came to life; all those students and teachers that I’d watched for years became real gosh-darn people.
Friday evening was the Sports Centre Spectacular, where the graduates and their families could enjoy an evening of free games and activities. As if I wasn’t already impressed enough by the campus, they completely outdid themselves by having an indoor ice rink, one of the biggest college campus rockwalls, a rollerskating track, bowling alleys, and so much more. I promise I’m not being payed to promote, I’m just a little graduate extremely impressed at everything that made my weekend remarkable. At the Spectacular I got to meet and chat with several of the video teachers, and was in awe of how each of their characters shone.
Where graduation took place
My all-time favourite teacher, Mr. Smith
Saturday was the big day that started very early for all us graduates, as we had rehearsals for most of the morning. We practiced the ins and outs of the ceremony and by noon, we were ready for lunch. At the video luncheon (as they called it) my family and I were seated with another graduate and his family, and after eating, I delivered some French cheese to my all-time favourite teacher before leaving to get ready for the real ceremony.
I should’ve been nervous, or shaking in my cap and gown but I wasn’t; I felt calm. I even started making conversation with a couple of my graduate classmates as we waited in line for the walk to start. Then the time came. I marched in the processional with 509 other graduates, and smiled at the back of the head of the girl in front of me like I was told. It went by so quickly! Before I knew it, I was walking across the stage in front of thousands of people, and livestreamers, shaking the hand of the school president and receiving my empty diploma case. Could it really be over, just like that?
Yup.
international graduates
The moment I accepted that diploma (not that I could very well refuse it… that would be a first), my 12-ish years of schooling were over. That’s still weird to wrap my head around, probably because I’m not quite ready to be an adult… ask my brothers; I found something from my childhood and used it, despite being a supposedly mature near-18-year-old. Growing up is overrated.
My blue pillow case
So… Adios to that adventure, and Bonjour to the adventures to come 🙂
Girl in France 