畢業季的矛盾

近日，我開始從各式各樣的社交平台和影音平台上，看到了許多學校的畢業典禮。各大名人在典禮上的演講五花八門——有喜劇演員，有影視演員。

無論是誰，理應對於所有的畢業生都是一個值得開心的日子。畢竟，就此畢業，鵬程萬里啊！

無法開心的原因

但對照於我，我怎樣都開心不起來。我感到非常的沮喪。

因為那將我帶回了我無論何時的畢業過程。哪怕是每一次的畢業典禮，我都充滿了對於畢業之路的悲壯、傷感，以及所有一切所帶給我的苦痛。

畢業典禮未必代表真正畢業

更不用說，對於有些人來說，參加畢業典禮所真正代表的就是畢業離校這件事情。

我相信，對於有些人，或者是我，參加畢業典禮在程序上，可能都還不算是真正畢業。哪怕你披上了畢業袍，可能還有：

  • 畢業論文沒有完成
  • 畢業條件的投稿期刊還沒有被接受
  • 畢業口試還不是排在畢業典禮之前完成

很多很多的時候是事與願違。更多更多的是，那畢業過程的艱辛以及苦難不斷。

只有自己能品嘗的滋味

我不想多說，但我相信畢業帶給許多人天馬行空的意義，也更多像是那些名人演講所希望帶來的——無論是正面表述，還是負向表達。

但真正畢業過程當中的舉步維艱，甚或者是如履薄冰，我相信那酸甜苦辣，只有個人能夠品嘗，也適合只自己一個人消化。

療傷時刻

所以我也說，畢業了，好！那就花個十幾年療傷止痛吧。

才開始呢！

English version below

The Paradox of Graduation Season

Recently, I’ve been seeing many school graduation ceremonies on various social media platforms and video platforms. Celebrity speeches at these ceremonies are incredibly diverse—comedians, film and television actors, and more.

Regardless of who speaks, graduation should be a joyful occasion for all graduates. After all, they are moving forward with bright futures ahead!

Why I Can’t Celebrate

But for me, I simply cannot bring myself to feel happy. Instead, I feel quite dejected.

Because these ceremonies bring me back to my own graduation experiences. Each and every graduation ceremony I’ve attended has been filled with bittersweet feelings—the solemnity of the journey, the melancholy, and all the pain it has caused me.

Graduation Ceremony Doesn’t Always Mean You’ve Actually Graduated

Moreover, for some people, attending a graduation ceremony simply marks the moment of leaving school.

I believe that for some people, or for myself, attending a graduation ceremony may not actually constitute having truly graduated in any meaningful sense. Even when you wear your graduation gown, you might still have:

  • An incomplete thesis
  • Journal submissions that haven’t been accepted yet
  • An oral defense that hasn’t been scheduled before the ceremony

There are countless situations where things don’t go as planned. And the difficulties and suffering throughout the graduation process are endless.

A Taste Only You Can Experience

I don’t want to dwell on this, but I believe graduation carries different meanings for different people. It’s similar to what those celebrity speeches try to convey—whether expressed positively or negatively.

But the genuine struggle and precariousness of the actual graduation process—that bittersweet taste—can only be truly understood and consumed by the individual experiencing it.

Time to Heal

So I say: okay, you’ve graduated. Then take the next ten years to heal and recover from the pain.

We’re only just beginning!