by Pooja Asuri, IB Y1

After 12 tough years of hard work and challenges, the long-awaited and highly anticipated event finally unfolded: Senior Graduation day. As many as 130 students from GIIS Queenstown Campus, dressed in red and black garbs, were given a warm farewell by teachers and IB Year 1 students, as they prepared to step out into the outside world as independent young adults with ambition and hope.

The May 18 ceremony commenced with the traditional lighting of a lamp, symbolising auspicious and bright beginning. Memorable speeches by the head girl Asmita Raja, and the head boy Ramapriyan ensued as they shared the ups and downs of their school journey with their peers and juniors. They thanked the teachers and fellow mates for making the whole experience worthwhile.

Prof Sanjay Swarup of National University of Singapore, who was the guest of honour, extolled the virtues of a good education and its impact on the society. He advised the attendees to pursue learning and knowledge gathering with diligence even as they balance academia with staying grounded and having fun.

The celebration carried on with an assortment of songs played by the IB band and was followed by the distribution of mementos to our elated graduates. Towards the end, the auditorium ambience swelled with heavy emotions as teary-eyed parents embraced their children and proud teachers repeatedly congratulated the graduating students.

Graduates were themselves feeling quite emotional. The event has marked the end of school days and the birth of a new adult life where decisions towards self-determination will chalk their future successes.

Graduation celebrates how far one has come in life, giving everyone a chance to reevaluate their mistakes and plan their future journey to make the coming challenges scalable and emerge successful. This year, I saw it all. The joys, the tears, the hopes, the dreams and the aspirations. I absorbed and I learnt. The day was fondly etched in my memory. Next year, it will be my turn.