(and had to get up ridiculously early to do so!)
5.30am: Alarm goes off and I ignore it. Probably ended up getting up around 6.20am. Went straight in the shower in a vain attempt to wake myself up. There was a lot of faffing, Alison arrived, we left the house around 7.45am (45mins behind schedule!)
The journey down was bordering on the ridiculous (getting stuck behind lots of slow drivers etc) and we finally got to Soton around 11am.
First Stop: Wippells! Got my robes on first of all, had the hood secured, had my mortar board pinned to my head and headed straight for the official photographer.
So we had the official photos done and ordered the DVD of the Ceremony, had a look at the offical graduation merchandise and then headed off to have some lunch. We had the carvery (or Graduation Lunch as they renamed it for the day!) with lamb etc. Yummy.
Obviously I kept bumping in to people I knew: both Rob Smiths, Lizzie, Lois, Rachel, Ellie, Laura, Tom and the camera had lots of work to do!
We headed to collect our tickets next from the marquee and we also bought some issues of the Daily Echo Graduation Special Edition for posderity.
Then it was over to the Turner Sims Concert Hall for the Ceremony. We had to sanitise our hands before going in!! We were seated in alphabetical order and so I watched all the people before me. Everyone stood as the Graduation Procession came in, with all the important people (including our tutors) and they did the ceremonial cool stuff to open the ceremony. Before I knew it; it was our row's turn to stand, queue up on the stairs, listen for our name, walk across to the Vice-Chancellor, present our hands in the prayer position, chat a tiny bit with him, walk across to the other side of the hall to get our certificate, walk up the stairs out the baxck of the hall and come down again to our seats - all with military precision! Then there was the Vice-Chancellor's speech, we all stood for the ceremonial exit and then all piled out.
I bumped in to Tom at the point; we chatted, got photos, exchanged things etc before he headed off to do his photos and we went over to Avenue for the School of Humanities Champagne Reception!
Chatted to some more coursemates: Rachel, Laura, Ellie etc, but managed to miss Harriet completely! :-( Chatted for ages to Joan - my tutor for this year - which was lovely cos she has been really amazing this year and helped me loads.
Then, very sadly, it was time to head off. We went back to Highfield, handed over my robes (mega :-( there) took a last, senimental look around the campus and headed off to the car. We'd parked on Hartley Avenue, so as to avoid having to pay £5 parking fee and 3 bus fares at Wessex Lane. Whoop to free parking!
We headed down to my old house to collect the rest of my stuff and then set off for home, where we finally arrived at about 11pm!
What a day! Amazing day. Couldn't bear parting with my robes - I loved them! Oh well, I can truly say I am Educated. Celebrated. Graduated. now!
What next? Answers on a postcard please!
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