The Crazy Month of May

Hey I thought this would be cool to do. These are my plans for the crazy month of May. As these things happen, I'll blog about them! That way I can keep life posts and opinion posts separate. Woo hoo! Here's some notes. 1.) I graduate 4 times and am going on 3 roadtrips 2.) James Morrison is my favorite Artist and 3.) I can not believe that I am graduating and that Elena is getting married!

May 1 Lavender Graduation
Lavender Graduation is a special graduation for LGBTQA students who acknowledge their academic careers as well as their identities and struggles (Q=Questioning; A=Allies who are straight). This goes down as one of the best days of my life because it is a milestone. I was talking to a friend about how hard it was for me to be public about anything 3 years ago, but I have come so far. The banquet was awesome; we did not get home until 7am, which I have not done since I have been in Japan.

May 3 JACL Scholarship Luncheon
My sister got a scholarship from the Japanese American Citizens League. There was about 10 people awarded and I coincidentally knew 4 of them.

May 5 James Morrison Concert in Indianapolis
After a 4 hour drive from Chicago to Inianapolis, we got to the bouncer at Vogue Theater only to find out that it was a 21+ show and Hongjoo didn't have avalid ID. This was the worst thing ever as it was our favorite artist. We went back to the car and dug through the baggage. We found her Japanese Foriegner's Card ID. We brought it back in hopes that the bouncer would let us in even though it was all in Japanese. Long story short, a beer and a taquila sunrise later, we were listening to James Morrison LIVE! This was one of the best days of my life!

May 6 Econ Final and Honors College Graduation
My Econ final would have been better if I didn't go to a concert the night before. We'll see how this one unfolds haha. As for Honors College Graduation, it was a very nice, small, and intimate ceremony were our Speakers were great (Anita Alvarez!) and everyone could be proud that we graduated with Honors and a collective sense of being future leaders of the world. What's more, my granparents, parents, aunt, and Tita came so it was as if I was an only child- it felt great to have my one day!

May 7 Last Community Leadership Program (CLP) Session
I missed it :/

May 8 The Last Day of Class
On May 7 I took an all-nighter to finish my Senior Thesis. I also had to put together my comic book. So on May 8, tired from working on my project all night, and turning it in 4 hours late, I submitted my thesis in hopes of getting an A and receiving highest distinction. But I wasn't done yet. I went to the computer Lab and printed out my comic book. It turned out really well even though I turned it in 5 hours late. I walked to the train station as I always do when I leave school, but this time it felt different. It felt like the end of a a long Chapter of my life. It was a great feeling mixed with a sense of bein lost. I was no longer a student in school after 18 years, I wasn't sure where I would go next. But I was done.

My Courses:
English 109: City of Heroes
Economics 121: I got an A!
Sociology 490: "Straight-Acting" Gay Boys: A Study of Masculinity in the Childhood of Gay Men
Sociology 499: A Historical Analysis of Patient Navigators

I could get straight As!

May 10 Graduation!
Today I graduated. This goes down as one of the best days of my life. I'm glad to see some of my struggling friends have made it, I'm laughing that we couldn't shake hands because of the H1N1 outbreak so we fist pounded the Dean, and I look forward to what lies ahead.


May 14 CLP Graduation
May 21-25 Elena's Wedding at Annapolis
May 27-31 Roadtrip to Toranto