I am pretty amazed that I graduated from Boston College. If I think back to where I grew up on the Big Island, in the country where you have more cows than people, it's amazing. I've really been blessed. I was able to go to a private school, Kamehameha Secondary Schools, on full scholarship because my mother is Native Hawaiian. I graduated with honors and applied to three colleges. Kamehameha Schools paid the application fee for just three colleges. I applied to Amherst College, Wellesley(I got confused, I was supposed to apply to Welleslayan) and Boston College. I couldn't afford to visit any colleges and no one in my family ever went to college on the mainland. So I had no idea what these colleges were like, my only requirements was that it was on the east coast, that it didn't have sororirtes or fraternities, and that it snowed. I figured this was my one chance to live somewhere outside the islands so I wanted to get as far away as possible to get the full experience. From movies, I had a altered perception of sororities and they kind of scared me. And I had never seen snow before and had dreamed of it since I was a child and read about it in books. A small country girl from an island in the middle of the ocean who traveled to the big city and graduated from an top notch school. At 21, I can say that was quite an accomplishment.
Boston College was a truly wonderful experience. I saw snow, I learned to snowboard, sledding on stolen dining hall trays, countless food fights and ice cream cake fights, bowling under the synonym "princess keao" with "ku" and "mister ass," running around the reservoir in cold crisp air that made the stars twinkle even more, bus drivers who blasted irish music and shouted out street names in thick irish brogue, wrestling in Voute hallways, watching unbelievable chaos break out after lost hockey games, crowded T trains with drunk college students, watching snowflakes fall in streetlights for the first time, soft garlic spread on Vinnie Testa bread, so many memories. good, bad, they all blurred into one awesome experience.
I made so many friends and created a few more family members. My boys Elvis and Yong. Elvis...watching the same episode of Sportscenter four times a day and even setting his alarm so he could get up at one in the morning to watch it. Yong...you dictator, I still remember the piece of blueberry pie you brought me at two in the morning when i was studying for finals. Chryssie and Christine were probably the two coolest roommates I ever had in my four years. Mark, the king of aloha, always making dinner and inviting everyone on the floor...yes, mostly all the girls on the floor. Craig, my boss, and really just a great friend to have. Ian, who is a permanent part of my memories of Stuart Dining Hall. Peter...it's sad to see a wonderful friendship ruined for the sake of our so-so relationship, but I'm still thankful for the memories. Brian, who is such a sweetheart and a beautiful old soul...Kekui, I still remember you bringing spam musubis to the freshman from Hawaii and your contagious laugh filling Duchesne halls. Larry and Roy, such few years to spend with you,k but what years they were.
Senior Week was amazing. There was commencement ball and I had the most handsomest date there...It was beautiful and everyone was beautiful but I was kind of saddened by the knowledge that it was going to end soon. There was the Dance through the Decades which was a blast. I dressed up in my retro seventies clothes and rocked through the decades. That night was so much fun. The last night was spent wandering through the mods one last time. Yong and I played impromptu game of softball, like the old times when we used to play outside of Walsh Hall. It was truly great.
Right: Elvis and his number one fan...me.
Bottom Right: Yong, the star pitcher, throws the keao, the best player in the world.
Graduation day was a blur. Some of us had only a few hours of sleep, Most of the seniors had none. We sat there, exhausted, and mostly hung over while we had a half hour lecture on how to flip your hood once you graduated. The main ceremony was held out on the football field. I sat by Mark and I could see Mike, Katie, and Yong nearby sitting in the business section. The speeches were long and boring and I didn't hear a word they said. THen we split up into our various schools and I was in the hockey arena with Mark, Brian, Sophia, Chryssie, Christine. Mike, Yong, Katie were in the business school and Elvis was in the school of education. Mark and I found Mike afterwards for picture taking but I didn't see Yong and Elvis until I got back to the dorm. My dad, auntie linda and myself were staying the night so the day was sad as all my friends packed up and left. It was the loneliest feeling to be in the empty dorm. It was lonely but overwhelming touching because it reminded me of the numerous times I've been the last to leave the campus. AT the end of every school year, I always had to get an extension to stay in the dorms after everyone else left and it seemed only fitting that I be the last one to leave...again.
Top: Me after I've received my diploma and I I've turned to look at the crowd.
Right: I found Brian right after the ceremony.
