Graduation

I've just realised I haven't actually recorded my graduation on my blog. This is a bit sad seeing as it was such an awesome time, and I'd really like some sort of a record. So I figure now's as good a time as any.

After I got back from Wellington I missioned my way down to Academic Hire to get my cap, gown and hood. As I was just getting into the line, another girl I'd done most of my geo papers with was just getting into line too. We ended up having to stand in line outside the shop for half an hour (lucky it was a sunny day!) before we managed to get in and get our stuff. Once our payments were confirmed (5 minutes), we then got our hoods. After our hoods it was another 10 minute wait before getting fitted with our gowns.

I'd never really considered fitting gowns or trenchers, but there you have it, it needed to be done.

We got our gowns and then had a 20 minute wait for our trenchers. It took another 10 minutes of trying on hats to get the right trenchers before finally - 1 hour and 20 minutes after we had arrived - we left with all our gear.

That night Mum, Dad, my brother and I had fish and chips back at mum and dad's hotel room. I even managed to get half a deep fried Mars bar down them (it's a bit of a family joke) before Mike and I went home.

The next morning I got up, put on my graduation dress and walked into uni for the parade. I ducked into a bathroom to put on my robes (I wasn't walking from Grafton in them) and went to go join everyone else at the marquee. It took a while to find anyone I knew, but eventually I managed to find a few. It turns out I was graduating with 4 other people I'd done 315 with a couple of years ago which was good 'cos we'd all been afraid we knew no one!

My Dad managed to miss me coming in with the parade (I had a feeling he would), but I met up with my parents and, after taking a few pictures in Albert Park, we drove out to West Auckland to pick up my Grandmother.

When we got back into town we had lunch in a food court and then, leaving my stuff with Mum, I wondered off to go find the room where I was supposed to go to. It took a while, but eventually I found it and jumped in my line. I was Graduand 372, I spent 20 minutes getting to know Graduands 368 to 374. We discussed our degrees and graduation teddies, before being counted off and finally moving into the theatre.

My Dad, after the ceremony, was amazed at how well the ceremony went off, but the secret was that we were counted before we left, again as we left the room we had assembled in, then as we entered the theatre, once again before we went on the stage and finally as we actually got onto the stage. There were so many checks to make sure everyone was there and in the right order that if there had been a problem it would have been amazing!

Most of the ceremony was boredom. We all sang some Latin (it was mostly muttering until the words 'academia' and 'professiore') then sat for some speeches. The speech was some model turned graduate who was pretty forgettable, and my hands got sick of clapping pretty quickly. In the end I only actually clapped for those receiving a PhD (they definitely deserve it), a few people at the start, and those people I knew from 315.

Eventually it was my row's turn to get up and go to the side of the stage. Then I was at the first lady (who checked I was Graduand 372), then at the second lady (who made sure my hood looked right), then I was at the third lady (who took off my sticker). Then I was climbing the stairs as Graduand 371 (a Pol Sci major) got capped. Then I my name was called, I walked across the stage, shook the hand of some guy in charge of the university who I'd never seen before that day and then it was over. I had graduated.

I put on my cap, got my certificate and walked back to my seat. I pretty much spent the rest of the ceremony thinking I was glad I'd done the ceremony because the degree itself is so... plain... that had I just got that in the mail it would have been one hell of an anti-climax!

After the ceremony I found my parents and we went back to the hotel, where Mum and I waited while Dad dropped Nana back at the home.

The best bit of the whole shebang came next. While I was living in Mt Eden I had walked past an Italian restaurant every day, and every day I wondered what it would be like. When Dad said we'd go for dinner, I had no hesitation - I wanted to go to the Italian restaurant - and by goodness I was glad we went.

It was without a doubt, the best food I have ever tasted. Great wine, amazing food and good company. The service was stellar and the atmosphere perfect. It was the most perfect meal I have ever had the good fortune to experience. Perfect food, perfect wine and perfect coffee (not something I say very often - in fact the last time I said it was over 5 years ago). The perfect end to a brilliant day.

After dinner we meandered home - full and very, very happy. It was a great day.

In the end, I'm extremely glad I went through the whole shebang. All the waiting, and the boredom was part of the tradition - the last university tradition I would take part in as an undergrad. My degree has contained all nighters, afternoons at Shads, Craccum, lots of coffee and cigarettes, roadtrips, friendships, drinking, drinking and more drinking. Everything I wanted to experience in my undergrad I got to experience - and I gained a whole lot more than just a degree.

I gained discipline, I gained a new way of thinking and of connecting things to form my own opinion. I gained a stronger hold on the English language and a thirst for knowledge.

Uni is about far more that drinking and degrees. The whole experience is part of the degree - and that includes graduation. I put in the work, I made the sacrifices... and now I have a remarkably boring piece of paper sitting on my wall.

I'm proud that I am a graduate of the University of Auckland, and I'm glad I got to experience the full undergrad experience.