Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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Graduation: A day of mixed emotions Graduation signaled the end of an era for many and the onset of job searching for others. Cham Ferguson, a campus comedian, was prepared for graduation with his good luck charms. (Photo by Andy Nelson) For some, it is a joyous occasion. For others, it is a sad day. And still for others, it is the end of a long struggle. The approach of college graduation is rather ironic. Upon leaving high school it seems like a distant event. For underclassmen experiencing a mid-college choice- of-major crisis, that distance looms ever farther. Yet, for seniors approaching their exit from K-State, the elapsed time seems to have gone by in a blink of an eye. Whether seniors graduated in December or May, in five years or three, all had to perform the same duties to find a job. Writing resumes, compiling portfolios and interviewing kept job seekers on their toes and demanded planning and forethought. Job availability concerned every graduate. Agriculture graduates faced a bleak farm economy, yet engineering graduates profited from the demand for high- technology knowledge. While seniors dealt with their own unique problems, one thing they did not have to be concerned with was Kansas ' change in liquor laws. Maturity, bestowed by age, meant seniors were not affected by the increase in the state drinking age. But when the caps and gowns were donned and everyone was lined up to receive a diploma, all the little things were forgotten. Like that moment just before dawn, the shadows and shades of gray disappeared, and the uncertainty vanished, making way for another sunrise. 14

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SHADES OF During the Homecoming parade, Chi Omegas Nanette Kukuk and Wendy Walburn wave to people along the parade route from their float. (Photo by Andy Nelson) Reeving the past, hippies John and Debbie Sleezer gaze Into space on Halloween night in Aggieville which was a favorite haunt of many students. (Photo by Jell Tuttle) Fall Spirit 13

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Members of the 1985 graduating class walk into KSU Stadium to receive their diplomas and hear their charge for the future. (Photo by Andy Nelson) During the spring 1985 graduation ceremonies, one concern on seniors ' minds was job This ambitious graduate advertises her unemployment. (Photo by Andy Nelson)