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Well, it's official
Jun. 9th, 2008 01:42 pmI am now a graduate of the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Arts.
Done!
Done!
Jun. 9th, 2008
My graduation, the more in-depth account
Jun. 9th, 2008 11:14 pmWe got there about an hour beforehand, but it took a while longer because I led my parents all the way around to the back, thinking that was where we were going in (I'm used to seeing the back doors of the building). Finally got where we were supposed to be, they went to sit down, and I went to get my gown and sash/hood, but no caps, which a lot of people didn't like. Anyway, got to the gym where we were meeting and getting our gowns before being sorted into lines. Saw a few girls I was in my medieval sexuality class with (now, imagine being in a room of about a dozen people where there's only one other male besides you).
We were lined up and gathered in a gym where the air conditioning was either malfunctioning or wasn't designed to cope with such a large crowd in June. Same goes for the covered soccer field where the ceremony was actually held. I was in a short-sleeved dress shirt, pants, and a gown, and I was dying from the heat. So were most people, but not my father, who regularly wears a spring jacket that he never takes off when outside, even in the hottest sun.
Everyone was lined up and brought to the seats designated for those graduating, and we stayed standing as the university President, Chancellor (Pamela Wallin), and Senate were piped in--where else outside Scotland but in Canada would you see a university's senate led in by a bagpipe player? Watching them go by was like watching the teachers at Hogwarts enter the Great Hall; they were all in different-coloured robes and a couple wore unusual hats. There was even one who looked like Sybil Trelawney.
I was hoping to see all those receiving honourary degrees at the graduation ceremony; two of them were Ontario's former Lieutenant-Governor (and the university's ex-chancellor) Lincoln Alexander and former General Romeo Dallaire, who led the ill-fated peacekeeping mission to Rwanda. Unfortunately, they wanted to make sure everybody got at least one, so we ended up with a French-aboriginal singer and movie maker whose name I can't remember. When she started her speech, she was talking slowly and with an accent, so I was afraid we'd be there for a while while she delivered a speech in broken English; fortunately, she got through it quite well.
We were all lined up, went up on stage, got our blessing from the Chancellor, then went around to the back to get our diplomas and photos taken. My photos stunk because I can't smile properly for photographs. I hate having my photo taken. We'll figure something out, though.
So, that was my day. Long, hot, and tiring, but accomplished.
We were lined up and gathered in a gym where the air conditioning was either malfunctioning or wasn't designed to cope with such a large crowd in June. Same goes for the covered soccer field where the ceremony was actually held. I was in a short-sleeved dress shirt, pants, and a gown, and I was dying from the heat. So were most people, but not my father, who regularly wears a spring jacket that he never takes off when outside, even in the hottest sun.
Everyone was lined up and brought to the seats designated for those graduating, and we stayed standing as the university President, Chancellor (Pamela Wallin), and Senate were piped in--where else outside Scotland but in Canada would you see a university's senate led in by a bagpipe player? Watching them go by was like watching the teachers at Hogwarts enter the Great Hall; they were all in different-coloured robes and a couple wore unusual hats. There was even one who looked like Sybil Trelawney.
I was hoping to see all those receiving honourary degrees at the graduation ceremony; two of them were Ontario's former Lieutenant-Governor (and the university's ex-chancellor) Lincoln Alexander and former General Romeo Dallaire, who led the ill-fated peacekeeping mission to Rwanda. Unfortunately, they wanted to make sure everybody got at least one, so we ended up with a French-aboriginal singer and movie maker whose name I can't remember. When she started her speech, she was talking slowly and with an accent, so I was afraid we'd be there for a while while she delivered a speech in broken English; fortunately, she got through it quite well.
We were all lined up, went up on stage, got our blessing from the Chancellor, then went around to the back to get our diplomas and photos taken. My photos stunk because I can't smile properly for photographs. I hate having my photo taken. We'll figure something out, though.
So, that was my day. Long, hot, and tiring, but accomplished.