Well, the big day(s) has finally come and gone. I add the '(s),' of course, because they always make university graduation a multi-day affair with the general commencement AND the convocation.
I think I liked commencement a little better, although it did require standing out in the 90-degree heat while we were lining up for the procession. The whole marching in thing is a bit long, but kind of fun, and the KBYU-TV cameras lend it a sense of importance. Elder Scott spoke and gave a good address and an enjoyable time was had by all. Mom, Dad and Annette all came, and Thor was there representing Sarah and Jared's family. The rest of you will have to live with the shame of not sending an emissary (although come to think of it the only graduation I made it to was Sarah's).
I wasn't too excited about having to get up early for convocation this morning, but it wasn't so bad. This time we just had to line up in the cool, air-conditioned confines of the HFAC basement. The De Jong Concert Hall was pretty full.
Being summer and not being a particularly large college, the name reading didn't take too long. The other presentations and speeches were good and appropriately brief. There wasn't even much weirdness from the theatre arts and music majors. There were no post-convocation refreshments, however. I see it as an ironic reflection on the lack of financial resources most degrees in the college of fine arts and communications offer.
I was a bit taken aback by the behavior of one particular former professor. I had a single class from the guy more than a year ago and had a brief but unpleasant run-in late in the year (involving him losing his temper and storming out of the classroom).
Anyway, I've since seen him on campus several times and always smiled and said hello, with varying responses. When the faculty lined up to congratulate us as we left, I got to him and he immediately looked away and ignored me. Later, I left the building and was walking alone to my car when he hurriedly brushed passed without bothering to acknowledge my existence. I hear he didn't get his tenure. Maybe student evaluations had something to do with it...
Alas those days are now over. I still have to tie up a couple of loose ends with internship paperwork, but that's that. I will next darken the doors of a classroom when I go to business school in the next two years or so. But my undergraduate days are done, and not a moment too soon. I do turn 26 next month, after all.
I think I liked commencement a little better, although it did require standing out in the 90-degree heat while we were lining up for the procession. The whole marching in thing is a bit long, but kind of fun, and the KBYU-TV cameras lend it a sense of importance. Elder Scott spoke and gave a good address and an enjoyable time was had by all. Mom, Dad and Annette all came, and Thor was there representing Sarah and Jared's family. The rest of you will have to live with the shame of not sending an emissary (although come to think of it the only graduation I made it to was Sarah's).
I wasn't too excited about having to get up early for convocation this morning, but it wasn't so bad. This time we just had to line up in the cool, air-conditioned confines of the HFAC basement. The De Jong Concert Hall was pretty full.
Being summer and not being a particularly large college, the name reading didn't take too long. The other presentations and speeches were good and appropriately brief. There wasn't even much weirdness from the theatre arts and music majors. There were no post-convocation refreshments, however. I see it as an ironic reflection on the lack of financial resources most degrees in the college of fine arts and communications offer.
I was a bit taken aback by the behavior of one particular former professor. I had a single class from the guy more than a year ago and had a brief but unpleasant run-in late in the year (involving him losing his temper and storming out of the classroom).
Anyway, I've since seen him on campus several times and always smiled and said hello, with varying responses. When the faculty lined up to congratulate us as we left, I got to him and he immediately looked away and ignored me. Later, I left the building and was walking alone to my car when he hurriedly brushed passed without bothering to acknowledge my existence. I hear he didn't get his tenure. Maybe student evaluations had something to do with it...
Alas those days are now over. I still have to tie up a couple of loose ends with internship paperwork, but that's that. I will next darken the doors of a classroom when I go to business school in the next two years or so. But my undergraduate days are done, and not a moment too soon. I do turn 26 next month, after all.
The picture was taken outside the Marriot Center yesterday.
1 comment:
I don't know what's so great about that spot for pictures, but that's where Mom and Dad posed me for mine, too. And I must point out that Thor was dutifully in attendance at both commencement AND convocation. He is nothing if not committed to doing his family duty.
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