It's Graduation Day but I'm not graduating.

One of our goals as college students may be to graduate on time, participate in the graduation ceremony with our parents, and graduate together with our friends. However, trials will inevitably arise and stand in the way of our goals. These trials may be for our own personal growth and improvement as students, or they may be there because we aren't yet ready to graduate and need more time to get ready for whatever our future holds.

Three weeks prior to our school's graduation, I had seen a lot of images of graduates wearing gowns and caps posted on social media platforms which contains a lengthy captions thanking those who assisted them in obtaining their diploma.

The moment I saw their posts, it got me to thinking: "What if I were like them, where I could graduate on time? Maybe I'm just as happy as them and just as what's in their post. Maybe I have a lot to be thankful for."

And the thing that scares me the most is how my parents will react when they learn that their daughter won't graduate quite yet. Will they be upset or furious? But I do know that they will be delighted and gratified just like other parents, if only I could graduate on time like other students. Given that they supported me financially and emotionally for a number of years and persisted in exerting all of their effort only so that I could attend school.

So this is the only response I can give if you ask me how I feel about graduation.

I'm sad about it.

If you were in my position, perhaps you would have the same emotions. I have a sense that the difficulties we have faced will prevent us from experiencing the graduation day we're looking forward to. It makes me sad to think that some of my high school friends or classmates will graduate while I'm just standing here looking at them singing their graduation song and wishing them a happy graduation.

I envy them.

It's normal to feel envious, right? Seeing them wearing graduation gowns and cap makes me feel envious, maybe I'm just as thrilled and happy if I only I could graduate this year. I'm envious of them because their parents are happy and proud for them to graduate, and I'm envious of them because they will be able to march to graduation with their parents, something that only happens once in a lifetime and which I won't be able to experience since I'm graduating this December and there won't be a graduation ceremony.

I'm happy for others.

I'm happy for them because they were able to graduate and did their parents proud. They have put in a lot of effort over a long period of time, so when I see them smiling and beaming with excitement, it makes me happy.

Perhaps now isn't the appropriate moment for me, so as long as that moment hasn't arrived for me, I will continue to celebrate other people's accomplishments and offer them my support since they deserve all of the award and recognition that is shown to them.

When the time comes for me to graduate, I'm sure that just like the other parents, my mom, dad and my family will be proud of me. Maybe this is my lot in life, but it won't stand in the way of my ambition to become a licensed civil engineer. This is merely a test of my aptitude as a learner and as a potential engineer.

Thank you for your time and interest in reading all the way to the very end of my article, have a wonderful day!

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The part 2 of this article will be all about the reasons why I didn't graduate this year. I sincerely hope that you all look forward to this.

I'm also thrilled that I was able to publish a fresh article here again after going dormant for a few weeks. I'm happy to see your articles here once more.