Throwback Thursday: College Graduation

In 557 posts I have never dedicated one to Throwback Thursday.  Sure, I have posted dozens of photos on Insta and Facebook with the hashtag #tbt but I have never written a post solely devoted to it. Well, today is the exception.  On Saturday my brother, Kevin, is graduating from college.  In two days he will put on the same cap and gown, line up in the same spot, mount the same stage, shake hands with the same people, and receive the same diploma that I did two years ago.

I head down to Washington, D.C. tomorrow morning and I am ecstatic for the few days of celebration. It is so surreal that I am going to be a senior alumnus this weekend.  (See, I got too excited even writing that sentence.)  Through swimming, the school paper, and other activities on campus I know roughly two dozen students who will walk across the stage and receive their diplomas on Saturday, in addition to my brothers friends. I will clap loudly and obnoxiously for each one.

My 6’4″ baby brother is going to be all grown up.  Sure he turned 22 last week and so many of you sweetly wished him happy birthday from this post, thank you, and I know he is no longer a baby.  Far from it.  But being able to say he was in college somehow justified it in my mind. I am in the “real world” with a “real job” and he was still in college.  Come Monday, that is no longer going to be true.  I am sad that he is growing up but also tremendously proud that he is graduating from my university with a phenomenal degree and already has an awesome job in New York City.

But mostly, he represents an unbreakable bond with my school.  While he attended, I was not just an over zealous alumni but also a sibling which made everything more tangible.  Even though that bond is going to be broken, and I might shed a few tears during the ceremony,  I look back with fond memories and am exceptionally proud.   Hoya Saxa.