Graduating
The end and yet, a beginning
And just like that, it was over.
Years of laughter, stress, and everything in between, wrapped up in a whirlwind week.
We stood there in our caps and gowns, polished and proud, the weight of the journey finally lifting. The day felt like a dream, moments blurring together in a haze of cheers, speeches, and camera flashes.
Prom was over in just a few days time — it ended with a bang, the rite of passage met with such delight and happiness.
Graduation is a beautiful milestone, a gift not everyone in the world gets to experience.
It’s more than just receiving a diploma — it’s a celebration of growth, memories, and a fleeting farewell to the carefree chapters of life.
To graduate is to savor that last moment of being a kid, a teenager, or an almost-adult, still unbothered by the weight of the world.
It’s a reflection of how far you’ve come, transforming through the years into someone stronger, wiser, and ready to embrace what’s next.
Graduation isn’t just an ending — it’s the bridge to a new beginning
There were things I wished I could have said, opportunities I wished I could have taken up, friendships which I wished had lasted longer, or started earlier — many many regrets, and many many wishes.
And yet, I felt content.
If you don’t have regrets, something is definitely wrong — no one can achieve everything, no one can be everywhere all at once, and you are bound to miss out on something.
But having regrets is one thing — how you manage them is another.
Regrets are part of being human — they are a part of life. Where regrets exist, there exists also a beautiful story of your life which happened with it. No matter how painful or how sad it was, you probably learnt something, someone was probably kind to you on that day, someone probably felt sad for you on that day — those are gifts which we must care to look upon when we look back.
And that is why I felt content. Because I knew that there could be infinite other ways for me to have lived and studied better — but I took my own path, and I faced some losses and gains — but in the end, there I was, a changed man, with new lessons, a new outlook in life, and a solid foundation, which I owed to my institution.
I had become a better person, and I had met some remarkable people along the way, who will and have continued to stay on in my life.
I reflect on my graduation, as the year rolls to an end.
New beginnings, new people, new lives in a new year.
We could have many hopes for our futures, but not everything will turn out to be awesome and perfect. But they will sure turn out to be beautiful in one way or another, because if you make it to the other side, someone must have been beside you on that journey.
But there is one thing which YOU can add to your 2025 New Year Resolutions, and make a difference:
Show a smile and be kind to everyone
Because it is the people you meet along the way that matter.
Also, take some time to catch up with your old friends around the globe — memories are worth cherishing.
Signing off with those words of nostalgia,
Vignesh
