Commencement 2007

Cromem Graduates in Engineering

I guess Commencement is a great event for undergrads since they take 3-4 years to be awarded their degrees but for Masters students, it is just another event that requires us to feel proud and stand in the sun.

We gathered at the Masters' Grove at 8:30am and only started moving an hour later. Haiyah...if my parents didn't bug me so much to be early I'd have turned up at 9 something and not gotten so frustrated with standing in line. It is also important to wear comfortable but presentable shoes for the outdoor commencement because we were standing for about an hour and were walking on the field. High heeled shoes would sink into the soil and you would have ruined the leather.

You could see crowds of very proud parents....proud of course lah...child graduated from Stanford you know. Actually I think no big deal...it's not difficult to graduate but it's difficult to get admitted! Also there are graduates wearing funny things like carrying paper green veggie cut outs, wearing weird scarves and carrying balloons. I think those are the undergrads. I regret not doing that cuz my parents always never manage to see me.

We finally started to move, ever so slowly, into the football stadium and got to seat down in the Engineering Section. What followed was extremely boring and not to mention that we were being baked in the sun. I resorted in putting the program over my cap.


Two words: Buey Tahan!

Why must our cap and gown be in black? We were like a mass of heat radiating cloths sitting in the field and waiting to be burnt. The speaker is extremely boring....he had a nice hook to his speech by mentioning that he also wondered why he was being called upon as the commencement speaker, amidst the other more distinguished speakers like Steve Jobs and Bill Clinton. Then, as the crowd loosened up a bit, he launched into this speech about why the Arts are important. Who actually cares to hear that? Plus people are sitting in the sun, all hot and grouchy, and just want you to finish speaking. Unfortunately, the speaker, who was standing under the shade droned on and on and soon I tuned him out completely. Thankfully, the degrees were conferred shortly later and we were released to attend our departmental graduations.

I graduated!

It was a llllllllllllllllloooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg walk from the football stadium to Lagunita Court. Why do the engineers get it so bad??? We got to sit in the shade though and the ceremony began with very short notice. Walk Walk Walk, shake hands, grab certificate, snap snap snap, try to smile try to smile. Is that my US$60,0000 I see disappearing and being exchanged for a certificate in faux Cardinal coloured leather? Nevertheless, I was quite happy to graduate and begin a new phase of life after experiencing severe senioritis since January 2007 (or maybe even January 2006).

After the ceremony, there was lunch. Great lunch actually with 3 types of salad, rice, potatoes and an option of salmon or chicken. Unlike the Duke Econ graduation 2006, food was plentiful and replenished regularly. I took a few photos with some people I got to know better in Stanford and bid a retreat into the coolness of Cro Mem Hall. I was so exhausted from all the walking that I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep for 3 hours.

Thank you Stanford for helping me get to where I am today, and letting me discover that the Bay Area is a wonderful place to live in (need lots of money first)! =D I'll be back soon!