Graduation 2009

Picture: President Wright's last graduation ceremony at Dartmouth.

Witnessed for the first time what it's like to graduate from Dartmouth.987 Seniors in their Graduation gown, showing off their titles ( membership to a Senior society, secret society, black-American society etc) with a scarf or a cane in their hands, with their family sitting behind them, cheering when their names are called. Graduation is indeed a significant moment in life, one of the moment that you always look back to, whether to look for the best times of life where you achieve things, reach for the sky,and are allowed to search for the self , make mistakes, choose your passion, and maybe to KNOW.

You are allowed to be confuse, to try new things, to fit in, to be original. As I read back my posts from Thailand, I noticed that I told myself, " if you can't change the environment, let the environment change you, or fit in, or be one of them! " I optimistically chose the later, thinking that there's nothing wrong to fit in. But in Dartmouth, fitting in becomes a matter of principles, values, boundaries and the self. Was I not myself when I try to fit into the Thai community? Am I defending the 'self' when I refuse to be a REGULAR Dartmouth student? That always become a dilemma.

I teared when I listened to the Commencement Speaker, Louise Erdrich, talking about her experience being the first batch of women and the first batch of Native American in Dartmouth back in the 1972. She's now a well-known poet and writer. She talked about the experience of "fear". "The only two things we fear are perhaps failure and humiliation, but without taking things personally, we will move forward". She motivates us to conquer fear, and most of all, have love(for the world) alongside with whatever things we are pursuing in life.

Most speakers at the ceremony, including the President, the valedictorian (perfect GPA graduate) and Louise Erdrich pull in different instances so that we are connected to them. The murals in the library, the lone pine, the snow sculpture and even the famous drinking game , Pong, on campus. The lesson to take home is perhaps, whoever you are, graduate or not, you'll always belong to Dartmouth. The Dartmouth experience will always be shared generations after generations, starting from strolling on the campus where many have come and go, to the different traditions that we are all made to believe and love.

Maybe, at the end of my Dartmouth years, I will learn how to love the traditions: the bonfire, the winter carnival, the night outs in fraternities and sororities (which are mostly events for partying and drinking).Though at this moment, I still do not believe these experiences can answer the question of "who I am", but more like, " we are sons and daughters of Dartmouth because we did all these things, therefore we are family and therefore I will return you any favor for that!" Maybe, in the middle of all the traditions, we will find our 'self's. Maybe finding the 'self' and finding the connections are two different agenda. Friends became assets and stepping stones in addition to the simple form of soul mates. What do I want to carry away from this institution?