On June 10, 2021 Nanmo Private High schools graduation banquet was held in the Garden Hotel as scheduled. As one of the committees, we came to the hotel in advance to arrange and set up. Everyone was busy in their own responsible area, including assembling shelves, decorating balloons, packaging gifts, testing audio and lighting, and rehearsing as the host. Everything went well, so we finished all the work before the expected time. At about six o’clock, students, parents and teachers began to enter the hall with radiant, decent and solemn dresses and suits. Around 6:40, we officially started. The process mainly included four speeches and four performances prepared by the students. Before these exciting parts, we also had a brain twirling game, which can make the winning table get the meal first. The tricky and interesting questions let everyone brainstorm and rush to answer. It also led to a more enthusiastic atmosphere.
Our principal, Mr. Wuerch made an opening speech. He expressed that it seemed that time flied so fast that he did not have enough time to get to know us well within the short year. However, every day in this short period was particularly fresh and vivid, as if we just met each other. He gave us a lot of blessings and advice to encourage us to take advantage of our youth to work hard, be brave and pursue our dreams. As he said in the speech, “people will not regret what they have done, but only what they have not done”. We should seize the moment and cherish the opportunity. As long as we consider the results carefully, we can do everything boldly to avoid regret.
Then, the student representative, Claire Chen, shared joys and sorrows of the past three years from students’ perspectives. Between the lines, we can feel the hurries of catching up with projects and assignments, the pride of winning a competition as a team, the nervousness of presentations, the panic and collapse when GPA lowers, and the tears when we got our favorite university offers. Everything seemed to be in our mind. Looking back, we have already experienced so much, gone through so much, and accomplished so many things that we never imagined before. She also expressed her sincere thanks on behalf of all the students for the teachers’ hard work and parents’ supports. Finally, she also hoped that we can start a new wonderful life in university and achieve a better self.
Mr. Dyck, the teacher’s representative, then came on the stage with cheers. He started the speech in a funny way as usual. In his delicate and emotional speech, we seemed to glance over the three years hurriedly. As he said, “when you need it most, it stops.” When he listed some details and small events during the three years, the students cheered, laughed, nodded or shed tears. The three years of walking side by side integrated into a tacit understanding, that is, when Mr. Dyck yelled “Three, two one……”, we responded, “Lions!”. It was just like every time we won basketball, or hockey, or a frisbee game. It was just like we yelled together after we’re done with pieing the teachers in the Terry Fox Run.
Finally, Lionel Liang’s father, the parents’ representative talked about views from the perspective of parents. They may not be able to fully understand our study life, but they did give us long-term and strong support and company us as the backers and harbor behind us. They were absolutely indispensable to our success and excellence. He also mentioned the precious friendships in high school. I think he hoped that we can thank the friends who accompany us and grow up with us. As he said, we should help each other to become better selves in university, and in the future in general. We should also make more like-minded friends and cherish every relationship.
The banquet ended, and everyone went home one after another after taking pictures. This was our second and penultimate ceremony that was related to “graduation”. “Every banquet has it’s ending.” This seems to be a cliché, but life is in a constant process of meetings and farewells. Even if the information age shortens the space and time limits of communication, the future is always unknown. We can’t avoid parting, but when parting is just around the corner, we can do more to enrich our memories. Although there are not many days left, we can be brave and fulfill our wishes right now because “we will only regret what we have not done”. Finally, I hope that we can shine brilliantly no matter where we are. By the way, don’t forget your original intention when you become better. This is not to say goodbye, but to meet again on a higher level in the future.