"A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success." ~ Robert Orben
As you, dear readers, already know, a few weeks ago I participated in my PhD graduation ceremony. Here at LargeU, we can just participate in our departmental ceremonies, which cuts down the numbers from several thousand graduates to <100.
Not that it felt like any less when we were all jammed into the hot, stinky bowels of the theater for lineups. And by "we" I mean all of the chemistry undergrads, those that mastered out, and the PhDers (aka the "overgrads").
Surprisingly, the undergraduates were on their best behavior (way to get alphabatized!), while it was we PhDers that were the troublemakers. Actually, in retrospect, I think that the undergrads' stellar behavior-- a stark contrast to their usual loud and stickiness on the buses, in the student center, or sprawled half-naked on the campus lawns-- had more to do with their bewilderment at our frilly gowns (what's with all the velvet?), extra accessories (silk hoods are so in this Ph.D. season), and uncharacteristically good spirits (grad students are not known for their sunny dispositions).
So while the undergrads all dutifully stood in their line, on the other side of the hall we were all hamming it up. Contraband cameras (we weren't supposed to carry anything into the ceremony except for our hoods-- thank goodness for giant doctorate sleeves!) flashed as we all darted in and out of line to snap photos. Eventually the departmental staff gave up; I think they knew that once they bellowed "let's go!" we'd all come to attention.
If you had asked me five years ago (okay....4.75) if I would be participating in my PhD graduation, I would have rolled my eyes. But I'm really glad that I walked and got hooded. It was a lovely capstone to years of insanely hard work, and it was awesome to have my family there to cheer me on. It didn't hurt that N.A. graduated with me, too.
