The weekend's ceremonies and festivities began on Thursday with the Phi Beta Kappa Induction Ceremony. I was nervous. For one thing, I am overweight right now and had a horrible time finding anything to wear. I had an actual melt-down at Macy's the Sunday before last...my husband thinks I've lost it. You see, I have been wearing scrubs to work for the last 12 years, although as a practice administrator I render absolutely no patient care. My boss feels that because we are a small practice we should all be in scrubs. Scrubs have elastic waistbands and a tent-like quality. Their capacity for expansion is legendary. As a fully-employed student I have had little time for an exercise program so I have gained the Freshman 15, the Sophomore 15, the Junior 15...you see where this is going. Then, I made the monumental error of using a new hair-stylist. My usual gal keeps moving and frankly I am tired of following her around. Two of my associates at the office use a guy in Huntington Beach and they look great. Well...my hair looked good upon leaving the shop...and has looked horrible ever since. I cannot figure out what he did, but I literally have places on my head that should have hair but no longer do. The sides of my head now have two flaps that hang down like dog ears, and behind the flaps on both sides there is a triangular area of missing tresses. No matter how I blow-dry, flat-iron or curl the hair I am still left with bi-lateral voids where hair should exist. I am able to get it looking okay in the front and if I avoid turning my head I don't have to worry about the mess that's visible from other perspectives. I have taken the ostrich approach to dealing with this hair disaster. My female friends cannot believe that I would let a newbie touch my hair before such an important event. They said it is like going to Supercuts before your wedding day. Well, I was trying to feign nonchalance when I decided to toss caution to the wind and use a new guy because I have been so nervous with all these ceremonies approaching. In fact, I broke out in hives and have been itchy for two weeks and taking Benadryl. I have been a wreck!
Back to the events...
My husband and daughter attended the Phi Beta Kappa Induction ceremony with me. They were very proud. Walking up to the table to check-in for the ceremony I knew that the attendant would assume that my daughter was the inductee (she is 27 but looks 22) and that is exactly what happened. It gave me a chuckle to have called that one. The ceremony itself was quite unexpectedly moving for me. The president of UCI's chapter spoke eloquently of the qualities that inductees must possess to be considered and I felt so honored to have met those standards. The historian for the chapter detailed the history of PBK, which was founded the same year as our beloved country, 1776, and includes presidents and statesmen and hundreds of many other acclaimed individuals. To be included in the ranks of that pantheon of honorees is amazing to me and I consider this honor one of the highlights of my life.
I introduced myself to Dean Ruiz after the ceremony as I had received two, yes two, emails of the Honors Convocation protocol and knew that I would be shaking her hand as I received my cord for graduating Cum Laude. In my nervousness, I stuck out my hand and it went a little like this, "Excuse me. You are my Dean. I am so nervous about shaking your hand tomorrow at the Honors Convocation that I thought if I met you today I would be okay tomorrow." She was gracious and kind and I was put a bit more at ease about the next days events. My husband, daughter and I had a cookie and some lemonade at the reception then my daughter returned to her office and my husband and I left for home. I had to pick my cousin up from the airport as she was coming to attend my Honors Convocation and Commencement ceremonies.
The Honors Convocation was actually more laid-back than I imgined it would be based on the emails sent regarding protocol. When I approached Dean Ruiz to receive my gold cord, she smiled and shook my hand, saying, "So nice to meet you again." I even hugged one of my professors on stage, a woman whose classes had always twisted my brain into pretzel shapes. I had also been allowed to invite two special professors to the event and I thought immediately of Dr. Losh, from my Digital Rhetoric class. She had been so gracious and helpful in getting me comfortable with a very new and technical classroom environment and it was because of her that I was able to do so well in her class despite being ill half the quarter. I also extended an invitation to Prof. O'Connor, who was unable to attend but sent me a lovely email. Her class, the last quarter I attended, was fun and fulfilling for a aspiring writer. She was a very down-to-earth and caring individual who even sent around cards to be signed for the three of us in class who were graduating that quarter. She is off to Ireland for a conference and I hope she is having a wonderful time.
My family and I went to dinner at Tommy Bahama's after the Honors Convocation. We sat outside and shivered a bit in the cool ocean air, but had a relaxing dinner and enjoyed each other's company.
Saturday, Graduation Day. I was no longer nervous. I was kind of exhilarated, really. I was relaxed as I went behind the Bren Center to line up with the other graduates. I was confronted at the head of the line by a coordinator who was giving the orders, "Pair up, find a buddy, you can't line up alone." Oh, crap. I had no "buddy." I told the woman that I was a single, like at Disneyland, that I would be riding alone. She gave me a look that said, "You're not funny", and just repeated herself. So I stood there for a few minutes as graduating seniors stalled at the gate, glanced around, found a friend then proceeded into the enclosure. A somewhat flustered young blond woman stopped abruptly at the coordinator's barking and with cell phone in hand said, more to herself than anyone present, "I can't find any of my friends." Boldly I stepped forward and said, "I'm a single, lets just get in there and if you find your friends we can reconfigure." She said okay and we lined up and together with two other female grads had a really pleasant conversation in the half hour prior to walking into the center to begin our Commencement. These woman all had serious post-graduation plans. They knew what their next steps would be... the LSAT for one, the MCAT for another and the third spending a year abroad. I wish I had been in their shoes in my twenties, but on my graduation day I just enjoyed hearing of their industrious plans for the future and was grateful that I wasn't standing there alone.
As we finally filed into the Bren Center amid "Pomp and Circumstance" I looked to the section of seats assigned to my family and saw them standing and waving (my husband told me later that he actually cried.) I was filled with a sense of pride and the weight of the occasion, but I was also very happy. Outside, before the ceremony, my new-found friends had been discussing their friends who had decided not to walk. As we sat in our row, enjoying the ceremony, we felt sorry for those who chose to forgo such a wonderful milestone, depriving themselves and their families of the joy and pride inherent in the ceremonial marking of their achievements. As the ceremony began Chancellor Drake spoke to us, asking each one of us to uphold the principals of the University, like honesty, in all we do, and he asked us to be kind to ourselves and to others and to have fun. He seems a very gentle and serious man who only wants the best for his graduates, personally and professionally. We then listened to a brief and humorous speech by our Valedictorian as well as one from the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, who offered a comic suggestion for the awkward moment we would all eventually encounter, the moment when we are asked, "Just what are you going to do with a Humanities degree?"
I then really enjoyed watching each graduate reach the dais and shake the hand of either Humanities Dean Ruiz or Humanities Assistant Dean Lazo as they were congratulated on attaining their bachelors degree. It seemed to go so quickly.
When the ceremony was over it took some time to reconnect with my family. I had not carried my cell phone because I was afraid I would drop it as I was being congratulated by "my Dean" who incidentally greeted me again on the dais with a "Nice to see you again." Without any way to communicate with my people I stood under a tree and watched countless families embracing and congratulating their graduates. I saw the pride and the hope and the love of family after family as they bathed these newly degreed young people in their affections and I felt content to be a part of it all.
I finally saw my husband through a break in the crowd and started making my way over to him through the undulating mass of celebrants. He had flowers for me and he was so happy and emotional. He is a softy. He led me to the place where my kids, sister, cousin and parents were waiting. I was showered with more flowers, beads and a lei. My daughter even gave me a huge stuffed anteater, our university's mascot. I felt a profound affinity with all the other grads whose families were so proud and happy at their accomplishments.
Later that night we had a big party. I basked in the congratulations of even more family and friends; current and past co-workers, my motorcycle club, our English contingent of mates and friends from the dental industry. We ate, drank and danced. I cut into a big cake that read "Finally...Congratulations Patti, 2008." My husband had also prepared a photo show for the occasion and about halfway through the party he projected it onto one wall of the banquet hall. It was my academic journey from preschool to my graduation from UCI earlier in the day. The music he chose for the photo show soundtrack was "We May Never Pass This Way Again" by Seals and Crofts, which I had once told him was my high school "Class of '78" song. It was a very sentimental moment. There I was, projected five feet high, in my First Holy Communion garb standing with my beloved first-grade teacher, Sister Jean, or in my "Beautiful Baby 1962 Pageant" photo, or in my virginally white Catholic High School graduation cap and gown . He also put my thirty-year old high school yearbooks on display for everyone to see, cringe! It was a wonderful night that capped a really memorable commencement and for all my early trepidation of being the only "old/alternative"graduate at the ceremony, I am so glad that I chose to make that walk. It is an occasion, a set of occasions actually, that have provided me with memories that I will treasure forever. In my academic journey I have had to just put blinders on and trudge the road ahead of me one painstaking step at a time without the benefit of enjoying everything the path had to offer. This past weekend I wore no blinders, but rather soaked it all in and enjoyed each moment and impressed it upon my memory and perhaps these memories will sustain me as I decide where that path will lead me next.
Back to the events...
My husband and daughter attended the Phi Beta Kappa Induction ceremony with me. They were very proud. Walking up to the table to check-in for the ceremony I knew that the attendant would assume that my daughter was the inductee (she is 27 but looks 22) and that is exactly what happened. It gave me a chuckle to have called that one. The ceremony itself was quite unexpectedly moving for me. The president of UCI's chapter spoke eloquently of the qualities that inductees must possess to be considered and I felt so honored to have met those standards. The historian for the chapter detailed the history of PBK, which was founded the same year as our beloved country, 1776, and includes presidents and statesmen and hundreds of many other acclaimed individuals. To be included in the ranks of that pantheon of honorees is amazing to me and I consider this honor one of the highlights of my life.
I introduced myself to Dean Ruiz after the ceremony as I had received two, yes two, emails of the Honors Convocation protocol and knew that I would be shaking her hand as I received my cord for graduating Cum Laude. In my nervousness, I stuck out my hand and it went a little like this, "Excuse me. You are my Dean. I am so nervous about shaking your hand tomorrow at the Honors Convocation that I thought if I met you today I would be okay tomorrow." She was gracious and kind and I was put a bit more at ease about the next days events. My husband, daughter and I had a cookie and some lemonade at the reception then my daughter returned to her office and my husband and I left for home. I had to pick my cousin up from the airport as she was coming to attend my Honors Convocation and Commencement ceremonies.
The Honors Convocation was actually more laid-back than I imgined it would be based on the emails sent regarding protocol. When I approached Dean Ruiz to receive my gold cord, she smiled and shook my hand, saying, "So nice to meet you again." I even hugged one of my professors on stage, a woman whose classes had always twisted my brain into pretzel shapes. I had also been allowed to invite two special professors to the event and I thought immediately of Dr. Losh, from my Digital Rhetoric class. She had been so gracious and helpful in getting me comfortable with a very new and technical classroom environment and it was because of her that I was able to do so well in her class despite being ill half the quarter. I also extended an invitation to Prof. O'Connor, who was unable to attend but sent me a lovely email. Her class, the last quarter I attended, was fun and fulfilling for a aspiring writer. She was a very down-to-earth and caring individual who even sent around cards to be signed for the three of us in class who were graduating that quarter. She is off to Ireland for a conference and I hope she is having a wonderful time.
My family and I went to dinner at Tommy Bahama's after the Honors Convocation. We sat outside and shivered a bit in the cool ocean air, but had a relaxing dinner and enjoyed each other's company.
Saturday, Graduation Day. I was no longer nervous. I was kind of exhilarated, really. I was relaxed as I went behind the Bren Center to line up with the other graduates. I was confronted at the head of the line by a coordinator who was giving the orders, "Pair up, find a buddy, you can't line up alone." Oh, crap. I had no "buddy." I told the woman that I was a single, like at Disneyland, that I would be riding alone. She gave me a look that said, "You're not funny", and just repeated herself. So I stood there for a few minutes as graduating seniors stalled at the gate, glanced around, found a friend then proceeded into the enclosure. A somewhat flustered young blond woman stopped abruptly at the coordinator's barking and with cell phone in hand said, more to herself than anyone present, "I can't find any of my friends." Boldly I stepped forward and said, "I'm a single, lets just get in there and if you find your friends we can reconfigure." She said okay and we lined up and together with two other female grads had a really pleasant conversation in the half hour prior to walking into the center to begin our Commencement. These woman all had serious post-graduation plans. They knew what their next steps would be... the LSAT for one, the MCAT for another and the third spending a year abroad. I wish I had been in their shoes in my twenties, but on my graduation day I just enjoyed hearing of their industrious plans for the future and was grateful that I wasn't standing there alone.
As we finally filed into the Bren Center amid "Pomp and Circumstance" I looked to the section of seats assigned to my family and saw them standing and waving (my husband told me later that he actually cried.) I was filled with a sense of pride and the weight of the occasion, but I was also very happy. Outside, before the ceremony, my new-found friends had been discussing their friends who had decided not to walk. As we sat in our row, enjoying the ceremony, we felt sorry for those who chose to forgo such a wonderful milestone, depriving themselves and their families of the joy and pride inherent in the ceremonial marking of their achievements. As the ceremony began Chancellor Drake spoke to us, asking each one of us to uphold the principals of the University, like honesty, in all we do, and he asked us to be kind to ourselves and to others and to have fun. He seems a very gentle and serious man who only wants the best for his graduates, personally and professionally. We then listened to a brief and humorous speech by our Valedictorian as well as one from the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, who offered a comic suggestion for the awkward moment we would all eventually encounter, the moment when we are asked, "Just what are you going to do with a Humanities degree?"
I then really enjoyed watching each graduate reach the dais and shake the hand of either Humanities Dean Ruiz or Humanities Assistant Dean Lazo as they were congratulated on attaining their bachelors degree. It seemed to go so quickly.
When the ceremony was over it took some time to reconnect with my family. I had not carried my cell phone because I was afraid I would drop it as I was being congratulated by "my Dean" who incidentally greeted me again on the dais with a "Nice to see you again." Without any way to communicate with my people I stood under a tree and watched countless families embracing and congratulating their graduates. I saw the pride and the hope and the love of family after family as they bathed these newly degreed young people in their affections and I felt content to be a part of it all.
I finally saw my husband through a break in the crowd and started making my way over to him through the undulating mass of celebrants. He had flowers for me and he was so happy and emotional. He is a softy. He led me to the place where my kids, sister, cousin and parents were waiting. I was showered with more flowers, beads and a lei. My daughter even gave me a huge stuffed anteater, our university's mascot. I felt a profound affinity with all the other grads whose families were so proud and happy at their accomplishments.
Later that night we had a big party. I basked in the congratulations of even more family and friends; current and past co-workers, my motorcycle club, our English contingent of mates and friends from the dental industry. We ate, drank and danced. I cut into a big cake that read "Finally...Congratulations Patti, 2008." My husband had also prepared a photo show for the occasion and about halfway through the party he projected it onto one wall of the banquet hall. It was my academic journey from preschool to my graduation from UCI earlier in the day. The music he chose for the photo show soundtrack was "We May Never Pass This Way Again" by Seals and Crofts, which I had once told him was my high school "Class of '78" song. It was a very sentimental moment. There I was, projected five feet high, in my First Holy Communion garb standing with my beloved first-grade teacher, Sister Jean, or in my "Beautiful Baby 1962 Pageant" photo, or in my virginally white Catholic High School graduation cap and gown . He also put my thirty-year old high school yearbooks on display for everyone to see, cringe! It was a wonderful night that capped a really memorable commencement and for all my early trepidation of being the only "old/alternative"graduate at the ceremony, I am so glad that I chose to make that walk. It is an occasion, a set of occasions actually, that have provided me with memories that I will treasure forever. In my academic journey I have had to just put blinders on and trudge the road ahead of me one painstaking step at a time without the benefit of enjoying everything the path had to offer. This past weekend I wore no blinders, but rather soaked it all in and enjoyed each moment and impressed it upon my memory and perhaps these memories will sustain me as I decide where that path will lead me next.
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