The Kansai Gaidai graduation ceremony took place this past weekend. I knew a few friends here who were graduating so I went to check out the festivity. So the academic schedule for Japanese students here are as follow: First semester begins in April until July, summer break until September, second term from September until the end of December, Winter break goes until  next April but with Finals after first week of January. Graduation for seniors in March. Very different from America!

The weather was just absolutely gorgeous that day. It’s not even officially spring yet but it was warm enough that no one needed a jacket. Oh perfectly clear blue sky. And even lovelier are the ladies in kimono and hakama, but all the guys look like salarymen ^^;.

Sorry there is absolutely no focus in any of the photos ^^;. I didn’t attend the actual ceremony but apparently, they give the diplomas out in waves so some were out before others. When the last group finally finished, the whole campus was just packed outside.

The school even got a TV personality to have some fun with the newly grads and providing them some motivational words to move on with their lives. I don’t know who he is though but almost all of the Japanese people seem to know ^^;.

Coming to this graduation made me realize that I haven’t attended any other graduation since my own high school graduation. I am truly happy for my friends graduating and glad that they are enjoying it. I am due to to graduate this year as well but I have different feelings than they do; I think I will pass on my own graduation ceremony this year and tell the school to just hand me my diploma to get it over with. Besides the ceremony being a bore fest and a waste of time for me by listening to the dean of the school giving some hollow “you are the future!” speech, I personally don’t feel accomplished enough to warrant any celebration of this sort. Finishing college is also not the end for me; there is still the looming challenge of actually achieving what I want do after college. Haha I sound jaded don’t I? ^^; Well, it’s just what I feel solely about my own situation in life. A graduation ceremony is also for the parents as well and mine said they are okay with me skipping it so yea. Save the graduation money and spend it on a good dinner with people who really matters perhaps?

One awesome thing about the graduation was that members from the various clubs also came to cheer for their senpai who graduated.

And some even set up special banners! This is the Shorinji Kempo club which I joined last term. They were all very nice people who took the time to patiently train me without opening a can of whoop@$$ on my incompetence.

KGU band outside performing periodically.

Not quite a banquet but snacks to feed those who at the ceremony. Fried chicken, fries, cakes, pastries, and drinks. It was practically a buffet… just look at the seemingly endless supply of trays of food!

Lots of laughs, good byes, and well wishes. It was a fun day and certainly interesting to see how different graduations here are. 卒業おめでとう！