.

I still remember how I felt when I first saw my brother behind the wheel of a car. Frightened, honestly. Not that I felt that my brother was inept and unable to handle the task… but, somewhere in my mind, I was still convinced that he was the very same person that was so easily convinced his bicycle helmet was on backwards (when, obvisously, it wasn’t). So, to know that he was finally graduating high school was a little bit heavier — brought back those same feelings of fear. Craig isn’t that gullable first grader anymore — nor is he the anti-social rebel he was as a Freshman… but a college-bound honor student. Things change fast.

Couple that with the fact about 20 of these graduating seniors were in my first Peer Leadership class. Now, sure — the only one I remember of all of them is Sean Gibney… but, that’s only because I was one shitty Peer Leader. Either way, it’s strange to think that the last time I saw some of them (not sure who they were, but, you get the point) they were Freshmen.

Also, another large group of graduates this year were my friends. I haven’t been as close to them this year as I have in the past two or three, but I still had memories of Jon Kaiman’s first day of school; working late-night shifts at Starbucks and philosophizing about life with AJ; John Alaimo managing to drive and moon people at the same time; and the several-year path littered with destroyed children’s toys and ceramics, blatantly wasted money, board games, Milky Way Midnight Pop’ables, and Homies (among other things) with Andrew Slafta.

It’s strange to think that the high school journey is over for them. What are Hepcat & Acoustic Underground to do without the likes of Jon Kaiman? Can Clinton continue to choreograph in the absence of Carly Gessin? How will the stage crew continue to run without my brother and Chris Tobin? Will TZ Tennis ever get over the loss of Andrew Slafta? Can Battle of the Bands be as fun without the high-pitched screeching noises that emit from Nick Taucher? Is the orchestra going to sound right without Taka? Will every club and organization under the Tappan Zee roof ever fill the void that’s surely to be left by John Alaimo?

The answers to those questions are uncertain. In many ways, it feels as if this graduating class kept the heart of the Dutchmen (which, by the way, is an absolutely terrible name) beating far more than my own. I can honestly say that I was proud of every one of them as they passed through the wall of smiling idiots that is the High School administration, and on to greater things.

I was also proud of Russell Wagoner, for having the sense enough to stick a group of students with Zambito as he sang this year — saving the audience from another completely horrific experience (although, at the same time, it still wasn’t pretty); principal Lynn Trager, for her startling inability to pronounce anyone’s name correctly; almost anyone who gave a speech, for ensuring that the TZ Graduation Ceremony returns to its tradition of boring the crap out of everyone in attendance; the Yale-bound Valedictorian, for inventing words in her parting message (obviously, public speaking was not her “fort”); and, of course, the grandmother of the Seebach household.

In short, congratulations to all the graduating seniors this year. Hopefully, if I haven’t had the chance already, I’ll see all of you this weekend to personally wish you well.