My life is a clean slate. 

And never again in my life will I have the chance to do absolutely everything I want to do. (Well, maybe when I'm retired I'll have the same freedom, but who wants to wait to be that old to start enjoying life?) 

Think about it, now that I've graduated and have this fancy piece of paper that I've been told to yearn after since birth, what I do with my life until the time I get married and start having kids is up to me. If I want, I never, ever have to go back to school again!

If I can look into the distant future and talk to my future self, what advice would I give myself today? 

Future Ann who got married when she was 24: Don't get married! Marriage is a trap! There's no such thing as happily ever after and once you get married the person you dated completely changes. It's like you don't even know him. Remember all those good years you spent time with all those guys? You should have chosen better! Instead of having a Bible study once a week with Hannah, you and Hannah now get together once a week to complain about your husbands and who you should have chosen instead of so and so. Trust me. Marriage is the worst idea ever!* 

Future Ann who started to have kids at age 25: Don't have kids! Kids are a trap! Kids are nothing but headaches that never go away. And you'll get fat. Remember all your plans about reading Shakespeare to your kid once it turns one and taking it to Stratford to see a play once a year so it will grow up educated? Won't happen. The little brat will hate Shakespeare and break your heart. Also, the daycare you plan to open up in your basement with Tabitha's kids turns out to be illegal. Don't do it. 

Future Ann who became obsessed with her career at age 25: A career is ok. But Money is a trap! Being a teacher/whatever isn't all that worth it. Those brats will drive you up the wall and cause panic attacks. Eventually, you'll learn the hard way that it's better to be feared than loved. Trust me. Remember all those made up scenarios in your head about enlightening kids and having them come back to you years after thanking you for changing their lives? Won't happen! Also, you became too obsessed with your career and never got married. You now have 5 cats. 

As you can see, Future Ann has a lot to say. 

Anyway, here's a random story:

Remember my friend Jessica Oh? Short, beautiful, and very, very Korean? We've been friends since elementary school and use to 'do homework' together everyday after school. (Homework = watching t.v. while drinking coke on my bed.) 

Since our last names are usually next to each other on the attendance list, when we graduated elementary and high school we were always beside each other. And I guess nothing has changed because, as it turns out, Jessica was also graduating today. When I saw her I thought it was very fitting since graduation wouldn't be the same without her, in one sense or another. 

But it was kind of creepy. Out of all the people, and of all the different countries, and of all the different provinces, and of all the different cities, and of all the different neighbourhoods, and of all the different houses, and of all the different schools, high schools and universities, and out of all the different colleges in that university, and out of all the months and years to graduate in, we ended up being together for the third time in our lives. CREEPY.  

So that's it. I'll blog about the actual ceremony later and how I felt like I was totally in Harry Potter when I was running around with the robe on. 

*My relatives talk like this