Graduation

With my LSU graduation looming on the horizon, I can't help but think back four and a half years to my high school graduation. All year, I'd been driving around, spinning a 109-track disc my best friend's oldest brother gave me.

His taste in music was so cool. He was in college, he knew about good bands, he used phrases like "indie underground" and "post-punk" to describe the songs on his CD.

But on May 13, 2009, the day I would officially cease to be a high school student, there was only one song I listened to: "Graduation" by Vitamin C.

Despite knowing about all these hip, upcoming bands whose songs I'd been worshipping for months, I just wanted to listen to "Graduation."

The lyrics talk about how moving on is scary and wondering if the people who are your best friends now will still be your friends years down the road. And at that point in my young life, with no real responsibility, my friendships were all I had to worry about. 

My best friends and I were all going off to separate colleges, and the future freaked me out.

And Vitamin C understood that. Not to get all after-school-special cheesy on you, but that song really made me feel better about graduating. Going from high school to college is a big deal, and sometimes you just need some reassuring words for that transition.

Post-ceremony goofing off - I'm the one on the right

Fast forward to present day. 

The girls and I who parted ways are still friends, but not of the "best" variety. The future I was so worried about turned out to be awesome. In my four and a half years at LSU, I've met some fantastic people, worked at a top-notch radio station, and gotten a better idea of how I want to make an impact on the world. 

My upcoming graduation feels more like a beginning than an end, and if you've learned anything from my blog, it's that this momentous occasion will have its own tailor-made playlist.

While "Graduation" isn't one of my favorite songs, it will always hold a special place on my iPod.

It's what I'll be jamming in four weeks while I get ready to walk across the stage of the Union Theatre. This time, it won't be my security blanket, but a reminder of how far I've come in these past few years and of all the people who helped me reach my end goal. 

"Graduation" is just another example of a song that makes me feel like I've chosen the right career path. I can't wait to be a professional "sharer-of-music."

In most people's eyes, it's a silly pop song, but it made at least one person feel better about their situation, and that's what matters most.