You know those people who, when you ask them "How are you?!", they respond with a morose "Oohhhhh, you knoooowww...," instantly pulling down your happy vibes and going against social norms with a depressing answer instead of the peppy "Great. You?"
I'm becoming one of those people.
I majorly dislike those kinds of people.
Blah.
But seriously. People ask me how I'm doing and if I'm excited about having graduated. And all I can say (on a good day) is that I have mixed feelings.
Because to me, graduation from college is a lot like a breakup. Of the most monumental kind.
This occurred to me the other day, and with the help of my (former... *sniff) roommate Val, we flushed this analogy out via text.
Check it.
Me: I found the perfect analogy for graduating. Graduation is like a breakup. There is a lost of nostalgia for what is gone. We can never go back to that. Not really. And while we will get over it eventually and thoughts of a better future will get us there, it sucks right now and nothing people say about it being better this way will make me happy.
Val: Yes, because it wasn't my choice to break up. And right now, I refuse to believe or think about what good the future might bring. I'm in my mourning phase. It's an essential part of a break up and there's no getting around it here either.
Me: Haha exactly! But no one gets that. In fact, they all expect me to be excited. And I definitely don't want to hear that I am better off now.
Val: Ugh I hate that! Why would I be excited? It's almost insulting, but I don't know why. Like didn't you know I was having the time of my life these four years?
Me: Right? Why on earth would I be happy?
Val: I have no idea. Instead of "congratulations" I half expect people to say "I'm so sorry for your loss."
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