A Memorable Graduation: Celebrating Success Amid the Pandemic

 Hello my dear Hivers!  This is part of my *Pandemic Memories* series. This blog will highlight my senior high school graduation during the pandemic. --- The graduation ceremony was scheduled for the afternoon, so in the morning, I had my makeup done. Yes, I actually had my hair and makeup done by someone I know who lives nearby, and good thing it was a package deal, so it was less expensive. There were quite a few of us getting our makeup done, and we were a little late arriving. Our teacher kept messaging us in our group chat because the ceremony was about to start. Upon our arrival, a line of graduating students and their parents had already formed. Fortunately, when I arrived, my mother and siblings were already present. ---  Minutes later, we started walking to our seats. Since I was among the students with high honors, my seat was at the front. When we got to our chairs, there were snacks placed there—a soft drink and a hamburger. Our adviser had already informed us about this, so we weren’t surprised when we saw them. ---  While we were all standing, my younger sibling called me and signaled for me to smile for a picture. At first, I hesitated, thinking people might look at me, but I ignored the thought and quickly removed my mask for a second to smile for the camera.  By then, it was already very hot, especially since we had to wear masks. My mom didn’t bring a fan, so they quickly bought a folder outside and handed it to me so I could use it for the meantime.  When the certificates were being handed out, my mom and younger sibling accompanied me to take pictures. It turns out my mom and I are about the same height, and she still looks so young! People always tell us we look like siblings. --- Going back—when I walked on stage, it still hadn’t sunk in that I was the top 1 student. But hearing my name and announcing that I am the class valedictorian really warmed my heart. I thought, *Wow, I actually made it* despite all the challenges I had been through.  You know what made me even happier than being top 1? It was the smile and confidence on my mom’s face as we walked on stage. I could truly see in her eyes how proud she was. ---  After the giving of certificates and medals, we then sang and dance our graduation song. This graduation song of ours, as far as I can remember, there were two, and one was for our parents, how thankful we are that they sent us to school. Also, expressing how much we love them. While I was singing this, I was really about to cry. At first, I held it back, but minutes passed, I was already very emotional, so I just let my tears out.  After we finished singing, of course, it was dancing time. ---  Minutes later, my mom approached me and handed me a bouquet of money and a money sash! I was so happy because she told me it was my graduation cash gift. --- As I mentioned in a previous blog, I was a transferee. Though I had only spent a short time with my classmates due to the pandemic, I was still able to form connections with them.  Here are some pictures with my classmates from different strands. We took photos in our blue togas, but we also had some taken in our civilian clothes.  For the girls, we were advised to wear dresses that wouldn’t go past the length of the toga to maintain a formal look. Thankfully, I had a dress that I liked, and it fit the requirement perfectly! ---  Indeed, it was a memorable pandemic graduation day. The moments we shared and the memories we made, the joy, the laughter, and the happiness of our parents really made this day very beautiful. And that's all, my dear Hivers, thank you for reading!