12:55 a.m.

Sunday, May. 28, 2006

Live, but not Live

Holy cap and gown, I have graduated. Today, being Saturday really since it's past midnight, was my official school graduation ceremony where I sat with thousands of other graduates of many disciplines. Since there were so many people (graduates plus about 3-5 guests each at least) I had anticipated an annoying chaos. However, considering years of past ceremonies, this being the 105th, I learned today that I should have given more credit to the school for being able to coordinate and keep order. Especially considering the psychology department graduation ceremony the evening before: this is the chaos of which I speak.

One expensive room, 52 floors up, with a great view of the city and the bay (and Giants stadium, but not within to my dad's disappointment since he knew a game was happening). Maybe 10 total tables for the couple of hundred people in attendence because of all the graduates who invited 15 or so people, some with as little as 5 or 6 invited, and then the lower spectrum, like me, who had only parents or partners. An alleged 'open bar' that turned out to be a drink ticket per attendant and fancy horderves that didn't stop coming out. Finally, an unorganized ceremony to recognize the graduate and undergraduate graduaters. It went from 'your name will be called,' to 'just come up and say your name in the mic and whomever you want to thank.' Dammit! I had to address a crowd of mostly people I don't know and don't recognize, much to my surprise considering how many fellow students I had in multiple psych classes, and thank people. Although, on my little card I didn't write anyone for the special thank yous because I couldn't think of anyone one the spot and was in a bad mood from waiting in a cramped spot just to check in. So, I was saved by being able to thank my parents and the teachers I admired before finding my parents awaiting near the door, after I recieved my graduate commemorative mug, to ask, "what did you say?" And with a like mind, we three departed: my parents and I.

So, small ceremony I anticipated to be better: bleh. Large ceremony I anticipated to suck royally, in a rotten lemon that's also dirty from sitting in compost, type way: not too bad. The big ceremony involved 3 hours in the sun, though, and all the people added up to me having a headache for about 5 or so hours after. Large groups of people are not my forte.

Anyway, two days I got to wear a purple gown and purple mortarboard. Hooray. What's next? A job. A job that I will start training at the end of this next week. Like the cabdriver on the ride back from downtown's psych graduation Friday night said to me when he heard I graduated: "Welcome to the real world huh?"

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