13 Jun The end of school
They say that the graduation tassel is a symbol of success. Moving it from the right side of the cap to the left after graduating represents the crossing over to a new stage of your life. Today is that day in my life. Today, I graduate from Taiwan Tech.
![Graduating from Taiwan Tech](/_static/stuff/2015-06-13-ntust_entrance_graduation.jpg")
It's been a long four years at university, and an even longer 18 years as a student. But in reality, the years flew by. It seemed like just yesterday I was in Mrs McGeehan's first grade class running the rainforest booksale. Or second grade with Mrs Pond, studying about all different kinds of dinosaurs. Or learning to write in cursive later on. Or having an extremely hard time understanding [A Wrinkle in Time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Wrinkle_in_Time). Elementary school led on to middle school at MAMS. I joined the academic bowl team, and together we competed in the state finals and placed high up.
Continuing school in Taiwan was difficult at first. It was a tough time, and communication was really a big issue. But I adapted quickly, and in high school, I knew I was on the right path. I started high school studying automotive technology, and there, I made a few lifelong friends. Shortly after, I switched to studying information technology and haven't looked back since.
School in Taiwan is really different from school in America. Taiwanese education prepares you for college. American education prepares you for life. I always found it curious when we were forced to memorize the textbook - the only reason being it would be on the test. College years were a bit better. I remember studying hard for interesting classes like algorithms and data structures, and I had a great time learning to communicate and work efficiently in team projects.
One of the most fascinating parts in my life as a student was the six months I spent in [Tallinn, Estonia](https://www.google.com/search?q=Tallinn&source=lnms&tbm=isch). It was an eye-opener, and although I didn't officially take many classes at [TTÜ](http://ttu.ee/en), I learned and experienced so much in various other aspects.
And back to now. Today. Saturday, June 13, 2015. Today marks the official crossing from being a student to, well, no longer being a student. It's the end of an identity I've known for 18 years. After today, a new chapter of my life begins, and I intend to make the best of it. I'm feeling a bit sentimental, but I'm also quite prepared for it. Here's to the future and all that it holds. Happy graduation!
Comments
: D Congrats!
:)