It is official graduation weekend in Finland. The undergraduates are getting their fancy white hats and certificates, singing ”Gaudeamus igitur” and then some.

I got invited to celebrate graduation of my cousin and even if the post office lost my invitation I managed to sort my work schedules so I could attend. Of course, the invitation was +1, but as a single girl I am, and with less than 2days notice it really was hard to find that +1. But I did, the perfect little gentleman. Okay, I have to admit that I’d have rather take a man that could eat his dinner without me feeding it to him, but as this one was cute as fuck, I’m going to forget that.

I myself actually graduated too, FINALLY! And got my certificate perfectly just in time for graduation weekend. Though, my graduation celebration is a little later, when I have time to even pull the party together. Anyway, I got my certificate and I’m bachelorette of hospitality and restaurant management. Yey!

The Change Of Atmosphere

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Like in every graduation party there is, people tend to ask these huge questions from the (wo)man of the hour.

What now?
What are you going to study next?
What are you going to do with your life?

C’moon! Give that girl a frigging break! She just finished something, let her breath like 5minutes!

My cousin is much more smoother when it comes to mingling, than I am. And I actually loved her honest, yet indistinct answers to people with all these questions. The age difference between us is more than I want to admit, but finally we have something in common. She wants to see the world and not waste her time doing work she probably would end up hating. Does that sound someone you know?

The difference is, that back in the days when I was undergraduate, if/when you brought up the topic of taking year off and traveling or exploring your options, the response was pretty much opposite to what I saw yesterday at her graduation party. Back in the days (approx. 10 years ago) the response was plain and simple ”NO”. There was all these reasons why not:

You are going to become outcast of society!
If you don’t study a profession right away, you are not likely to go school at all!
You should get some work experience, there is time to explore later!

That same generation that told to my generation all those reasons why you shouldn’t take time off to explore and live a little, is now telling a lot different story. All that I could hear was support that yes, you should travel and explore while you are young. And how their generation was way too work orientated, how they regret that they didn’t do it back then.

HEY! NICE TO KNOW!

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Okay, not like I’m bitter or anything (….well maybe a little) but I really think that supporting the decisions of those young minds is the right thing to do. Yes, my generation didn’t get the support, but I’m happy that things have changed. Every individual has right to do what they want with their lives, and family’s job is support them. Of course family’s job is also tell them if they are doing a huge mistake, but even then, their job is just accept the choices that individual wants to make.

The atmosphere nowadays is much more tolerant than it was 10 years ago. And people, like my mother, who used to be strictly against of nonsense you’d call ”finding your self” have changed their mind. Apparently I’m not the only one having existential crisis here…

This is my 3rd graduation, and still this is actually the first time I feel like the wold is really open for me. And that I have the power to make those decisions I want to make, no matter good or bad. Nowadays I have the support of my family (kinda…) and the absolute support of my friends. Better later than never I’d say!

The only thing I want to say is: Congratulations all graduates! Be brave enough to make your own choices.