Nothing's Gonna Change My World

So I am a graduate again!

The day was cold and rainy and very, very long, but in the end, it was worth it and I'm happy that my mom forced (okay, strongly urged) me to go. Patrick slept over on Tuesday night so that we could get up early and leave by 7:15 since I had to pick up my gown. Turns out that there was no line-up at all, so we had a good hour to kill before I needed to robe and start to line up (at which point it started raining!). I saw a lot of people I knew and was able to catch up, but too bad I didn't see my pal Mallory until the last minute, and then I didn't meet up with her after :( so no catching up or photo opportunities. After we lined up in Redpath Hall, we walked down the hill to the tent, and that's when the excitement/anxiety began to set in. I felt strangely and surprisingly emotional - so I guess Julie was right when she said it would provide a much-needed sense of closure. I never went to my first grad, and we didn't even have a party, so this time around it definitely felt more special. We sat through rounds and rounds and rounds of names until finally it was time to get ready to go up on stage. I got to keep my cap on AND have a handshake because I have another degree (those with only one degree have to take their cap off and get taped on the head by some important McGill person - how bizarre, no?).

After the ceremony, the faculty gathered together for a class photo on the steps of the Redpath museum, which took forever! We were all squashed together and tons of people were swarming around to take our photo, which happened to block the actual photographer... and then it started to rain on us... Finally they got all the shots they needed (which you would need to buy) and I was looking everywhere for Mallory but couldn't find her! By then I was fed up and decided to leave - I came home with a migraine, and was pampered by Patrick. I took a nap and woke up just in time to prepare for the arrival of our guests.

My mom went all out with the food and drinks, as usual. I was spoiled with gifts and cards, which I did not expect at all! We took loads of pictures, which I am just sorting through now. Overall, a nice day that left me quite exhausted. Going back to school today was hard, but it made me realize how lucky I am to be working in the same classroom everday until (fingers crossed) the end of the school year.

Okay, time for a shower and *maybe* some scrapping before bed. Cheers!