This post is a letter I had written to some of my friends exactly three months ago. It's a short summary of a special graduation ceremony I attended on the 9th of June 2008. As many of my friends liked that mail I decided to post it on my blog today and celebrate 90 days (and counting) of glory!
Since I came here (Calgary) all the way from India to be present at her graduation ceremony...it is only proper that I dedicate this mail of 9/6 experiences to Brinda!
She thought we were all making a big deal out of it...but when the ceremony got underway and her name was called... the noise made by the cheering and clapping convinced her it was a big deal :-) She also loved it when they were all told to wave to their friends and family in the audience, as an appreciation for all the support they received in achieving their academic goals.
We kept teasing her all day yesterday that she was the hottest chick in town....the one who made it big with looks and books! My nephew (Brinda's darling hubby) could not help joining us and this would certainly be one of the happiest days of my life...yeah I’m beginning to get a bit sentimental.. well...that's me I suppose.
We got up that morning brimming with anticipation. Gautam was the first coz he had to go to work and could only take the afternoon off for his wife's convocation. The rest of us got up later and were discussing what time to leave and who is to iron their clothes next! The special girl got preference and her new dress was crisp and ready in minutes. We left the house at 12.30 and reached the University grounds by 1 p.m. The ceremony was to start at 2 p.m. and we could see that students were busy getting their gowns and parents/friends busy clicking some warm up photographs. We found decent seats and settled down. There was this big book ....Class of 2008...which had the names of all the students who were getting their degrees that day. We browsed through it and bang on time the ceremony started. It was a grand parade of the faculty coming up the stage and then the students who looked awesome in their gowns taking their appointed seats. Such orderly conduct could have been matched only by a military parade! A band was playing at the back and the whole atmosphere was one of joy and achievement. One could see the unmistakable pride in everyone present there. THE MOMENT had arrived. Parents, Friends, Grandparents (some in wheel chairs), mentors et al waiting for their loved one to come on stage and receive their degree(s).
Our gorgeous young lady was sitting right in the front coz Doctorates were the first to be awarded followed by the Masters and then the Under Grads....[ and yes in that outfit she did look like one of the Harry Potter characters:-) ]
This was my first convocation outside India and it was a pleasure to see the efforts taken by the University to make it a very special occasion. Everyone there had someone who was an achiever and as the ceremony started people cheered each and every student who came to get his or her degree. Some had even managed 2 degrees and a few medals to go with it! Our darling came on stage with her signature springy walk and when she was presented with her doctorate ...at 28 she was probably one of the youngest to achieve that distinction in the University of Calgary. We were busy cheering and clicking photographs and it was a moment dreams are made of...it was a moment I wouldn't have missed for the world...
My message to everyone is..... if you ever get a chance to visit the graduation ceremony of a loved one don't miss it....these are moments that remain with us forever....these are the moments which make life worth living...
It is sad that back home we are so consumed by the academic rat race that we fail to take a few moments and savor the achievements of those who have worked so hard for it...I hope some day we will celebrate academic achievements as much as we celebrate weddings. Personally I consider a convocation one of the most important and joyous moments...even weddings come a very distant second...after all marriages may break or fail but your education stays and enriches you forever...
On that note this is me signing off from Calgary and getting ready to fly back to Mumbai coming Sunday!
Since I came here (Calgary) all the way from India to be present at her graduation ceremony...it is only proper that I dedicate this mail of 9/6 experiences to Brinda!
She thought we were all making a big deal out of it...but when the ceremony got underway and her name was called... the noise made by the cheering and clapping convinced her it was a big deal :-) She also loved it when they were all told to wave to their friends and family in the audience, as an appreciation for all the support they received in achieving their academic goals.
We kept teasing her all day yesterday that she was the hottest chick in town....the one who made it big with looks and books! My nephew (Brinda's darling hubby) could not help joining us and this would certainly be one of the happiest days of my life...yeah I’m beginning to get a bit sentimental.. well...that's me I suppose.
We got up that morning brimming with anticipation. Gautam was the first coz he had to go to work and could only take the afternoon off for his wife's convocation. The rest of us got up later and were discussing what time to leave and who is to iron their clothes next! The special girl got preference and her new dress was crisp and ready in minutes. We left the house at 12.30 and reached the University grounds by 1 p.m. The ceremony was to start at 2 p.m. and we could see that students were busy getting their gowns and parents/friends busy clicking some warm up photographs. We found decent seats and settled down. There was this big book ....Class of 2008...which had the names of all the students who were getting their degrees that day. We browsed through it and bang on time the ceremony started. It was a grand parade of the faculty coming up the stage and then the students who looked awesome in their gowns taking their appointed seats. Such orderly conduct could have been matched only by a military parade! A band was playing at the back and the whole atmosphere was one of joy and achievement. One could see the unmistakable pride in everyone present there. THE MOMENT had arrived. Parents, Friends, Grandparents (some in wheel chairs), mentors et al waiting for their loved one to come on stage and receive their degree(s).
Our gorgeous young lady was sitting right in the front coz Doctorates were the first to be awarded followed by the Masters and then the Under Grads....[ and yes in that outfit she did look like one of the Harry Potter characters:-) ]
This was my first convocation outside India and it was a pleasure to see the efforts taken by the University to make it a very special occasion. Everyone there had someone who was an achiever and as the ceremony started people cheered each and every student who came to get his or her degree. Some had even managed 2 degrees and a few medals to go with it! Our darling came on stage with her signature springy walk and when she was presented with her doctorate ...at 28 she was probably one of the youngest to achieve that distinction in the University of Calgary. We were busy cheering and clicking photographs and it was a moment dreams are made of...it was a moment I wouldn't have missed for the world...
My message to everyone is..... if you ever get a chance to visit the graduation ceremony of a loved one don't miss it....these are moments that remain with us forever....these are the moments which make life worth living...
It is sad that back home we are so consumed by the academic rat race that we fail to take a few moments and savor the achievements of those who have worked so hard for it...I hope some day we will celebrate academic achievements as much as we celebrate weddings. Personally I consider a convocation one of the most important and joyous moments...even weddings come a very distant second...after all marriages may break or fail but your education stays and enriches you forever...
On that note this is me signing off from Calgary and getting ready to fly back to Mumbai coming Sunday!
1 comment:
Thanks Vyne for making me feel on top of the world with this blog though i think personally it's best not to lie on your laurels but build up on it. Besides i could'nt have done it without some amazing people around me .....
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