On my way to the center today, I saw several groups of high school students on their way to graduation. They’re easy to spot, in their white hats, carrying champagne glasses.
It made me think of my own graduation. We’ve had an incredible couple of days now, warm and sunny. Just like when I graduated, seven years and four days ago. My graduation day was probably the warmest and sunniest day of that summer.
But SEVEN years ago?! Has it really been that long? That makes me dizzy. What have I accomplished since then?
Well, I have a bachelor’s degree, and am halfway through a master’s. I’ve spent a total of 14 months abroad, divided into five trips on four continents. I’ve learnt a language and forgotten it again. I’ve worked as a receptionist, janitor, archivist, tutor and student ambassador for Stockholm university. I’ve been the student representative in almost all advisory committees and boards at the science faculty of Stockholm university, as well as being chair of both the geoscience student council and the science faculty council. I’ve volunteered in an animal shelter in the Bolivian rain forest, a horse ranch in British Columbia, a chicken farm on Vancouver Island and a blueberry farm north of San Francisco. I’ve become active in Couchsurfing, and through that, my travels and the international students I’ve befriended at university, I now have friends on all continents except Antarctica, just waiting for me to pack my bags to do another around the world trip. I have a driver’s license.
I’m not the same person as I was seven years ago. Many things have happened, now that I list them like this. I’ve learned so much, about myself and other people and life and the world. So maybe it isn’t that strange, after all. That time passes. Seven years. I’ve managed to make quite good use of it.
Me on graduation day, together with aunt Kaarina, mom and cousin Jonatan.
Katja Malmborg 