This week, schools throughout Beaufort County are holding their annual commencement ceremonies.

Each graduation has its own individuality and its own personality. Looking for a hint of the future of the county? Attend one of its graduations. When attending, one will get a sense of the talent and enthusiasm being unleashed into the “real world” — a popular phrase, common in every graduation.

The first part of every graduation gives insight on each class’ leaders and top students. These top students almost always provide excerpts from memories the graduates shared throughout the journey from freshmen to the almighty title of senior.  They also talk about where they think they’re headed.

Student speeches are always full of inspirational quotes, hopes for the future and “inside jokes” about their shared experiences. On occasion, the speeches can be extremely clever or heart wrenching.

Then comes the time when each and every graduate will participate in a once-in-a-lifetime moment — walking the stage and receiving a high school diploma. What seems to be such a simple thing is, in essence, quite complex. Each diploma handed over to each graduate represents a unique journey that is wholly their own.

It is quite interesting to witness which students get extra attention from their classmates. It may be a sports star within the school or a popular student or one who has been given the label class clown. This conveys the comradery built between the graduates throughout their journey from small children to young adults.

The reading of the names is always punctuated by cheering loved ones and friends, but the most impactful aspect of the graduation is seeing the looks on each graduate’s face and their response when the reality sets in — they are officially adults and are facing the real world.

Graduating from high school is certainly a big deal. It is something that requires work in order to achieve — years of work. What a person does at that stage in life can follow them through a lifetime.

Congratulations to all graduates for their long, arduous journey to the starting line of the “real world”.