What is the author's purpose in using confetti as a symbol?

The confetti represents celebration. The author uses confetti to encourage her audience to celebrate success.

The confetti represents celebration. The author uses confetti to teach the students how to plan a celebration party.

The confetti is a symbol of college graduation. The author uses the symbol to reward college graduates.

The confetti is a symbol of summer internships. The author uses the symbol to encourage signing up for summer internships.

A. The confetti represents celebration. The author uses confetti to encourage her audience to celebrate success.

Explanation:

In the excerpt from Pat Mora's essay, the author was meant to deliver a talk to a group of graduating students in a restaurant. While preparing for her talk, she contemplated what gift she would give the students which would have a lasting impression on them. One of the non-monetary gift items she thought about was the confetti. The confetti was meant to be used for celebration by the students on each milestone attained by them.

Some of those milestones include, "those solitary moments when they had passed a test that worried them, finished a difficult paper at 2 a. m., or found a summer internship". Indeed the author encouraged the students to celebrate their little successes.