Graduation, a day many have waited for since starting school back in kindergarten. The boys in their nice suits (that their mommas picked out), the girls all in white (including white shoes and gloves). The boys in the school’s rooftop gym, where the girls are in a church somewhere downtown. All looking their best as they shake hands getting that high school diploma, and being done with high school forever. Where are most excited for this day, ready to toss their uniformed down the trash shoot and enjoy three months of summer, others are realizing their small and constable little worlds are ending. Neither side can stop it, as the countdown is on as the seniors cheer: “Two, four, six, eight, only eighteen days till we graduate!”

Serena and Nate are together, but not happily. Nate is depressed, this seems like the first time he broke Blair’s heart, and she would not be taking him back. But at least he had Serena right? His hot best friend, had always been that his friend. Sure, they kiss, hug and cuddle, but she’s not the one he’s been planning on marrying. Because of this Nate’s emotion are heightened, as he’s afraid of his future, afraid of never getting Blair back, and afraid that he had already had his fun in life. This is when our Prince Charming breaks down and cries all the time. With no Blair to yell to man up, Serena wipes his tears away and comforts her little Natie in his time of need.

Blair is done with everyone. Finally she has gotten everything she wanted in life: independents, Yale, the only thing missing is Nate. Blair is her class graduation speaker, decides to do her speech on how you can get everything you want. Sure some had their doubts that Blair would make it into Yale, and she squashed those by making it off the wait list and into acceptance. The only thing that can set Blair off onto her happily ever after is Nate, the one she thought she was supposed to spend forever with. But she’s done with him, and moved onto her next target: A bigger, richer, and more British version of Nate. Yes, Blair had found a replacement, but with this Nate 2.0 be any different than the last, and can Blair refuse her original Nate who has tears in his eyes. She’s cold heater, but not cruel, but knowing her, she will work it out and get everything perfect (at least for her) in the end.

Cecily von Ziegesar finally can check off a box that only took eight books to bring our characters to: graduation. From September to June it is finally here. Everyone knows where they are going in the fall (somewhat) broke off their high school relationships and hello collage boys! This series has a lot of characters, but the focus is on our trio: Nate, Serena and Blair. Sure Vanessa and her boy troubles are interesting, and Jenny tries to get into boarding school (have you heard of the new series It Girl?) and Chuck, well he is just one happy boy. Truly von Ziegesar should have kept the character count down and it might have been easier to remember who’s been with who, but where the fun in that? The series should be picking up now as everyone done with the remaining of the series being about summer and then Yale! I mean there are other universities, wait no there’s not. Just like Blair, Yale is where it is at, as for the freshmen class is going to have a killer trio to deal with, if they survive the summer.