Graduation
Aug. 3rd, 2004 10:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chrisvenusI thought since I'd done the fairly impersonal last post that I'd do a proper one. This weekend I graduated finally.
The weekend started on Friday really though I'd been doing bits and pieces before that to get ready such as new suit and checking I had all the things I needed for Sub Fusc [1]. Friday straight after work I went to get my hair cut since I new my parents would want lots of photos so I thought I'd try to look smartish. So with neatened up hair I took the scenic route home (via Krys's) and after a few phone calls arranged to meet my parents in town.
By the time I got to the Grapes where we were meeting my sister was half way through a pint and reading a book. My parents were nowhere to be seen. So I got a drink and started catching up with my sister. My parents turned up after another 15 or 20 minutes declaring that summertown to town center was further than they thought. They'd decided to walk. :)
We decamped to dinner at Gino's (my restaurant of choice in oxford at the moment) and had a lovely meal that I failed to finish due to size of portions and starters and things. Wine was had with dinner and it was all very nice.
After that my sister and I headed back to my place to crash out and my parents headed back to the B&B they were staying in.
Next morning was the big day and I was up nice and early to sort myself out. I'll probably surprise nobody by saying that I forgot to shave but apart from that I was all nice and smart and ready and my sister and I headed in to keble by foot.
We got in and met my parents there and then wandered off to where coffee was being served and I had to do signing in things. I signed in, got given my first gown (I'd be wearing three different gowns throughout the day), and then bumped into friends (tim and will for those that know them) that I chatted to. Photos happened in various quantities and then before we new it (and almost before my family had got the wine that was floating around) we headed off to hall for lunch.
My parents were all deeply impressed by it all and my sister couldn't believe that I used to eat in that hall every night. Or that I got the choice to at any rate... :)
Lunch was very nice and after that the warden said stuff and so did the dean of degrees. We then followed him down to the SCR where we were instructed on how it would all go and what we needed to do. Most people there were collecting their MAs. Some were collecting BAs and me and one other guy were collecting both BA and MA...[2]. Full instructions were given and we wandered down to where the ceremony was actually happening, now clutching mortar boards and very much holding up traffic. :)
Once we were seated there was a bit of a pause for things until the ceremony started with various people entering in procession. Its kind of hard to describe it all and unfortunately I don't have the little booklet that explains what was going on in detail. The Vice-chancellor (or apparently his substitute - I wouldn't know) gave a little speech which was very good and most amusing in places (something like "You think that we're all fuddy duddies stuck in the past but we are actually grasping the 20th century with enthusiasm" - he did it better though).
The ceremony itself then started with a lot of latin. In that the only non-latin really spoken after that was the various proctors giving us our prompts on moving this way or that way or kneeling there or who to bow to, etc.
I was quite early to do my first part. I was called up with two others and approached the vice chancellor and the two proctors (I think) seated by him. I took the hand of the keble dean of degrees (my right hand across my body to hold his right hand) as he presented us and we bowed several times. Luckily I knew when to bow by the simple rule that the dean had told me - when somebody doffs their hat or bows to you then you bow back.
This part having been done we trooped out to change gowns. We went from commoners gowns up to the BA gown. Much more flowy and felt like it was falling off all the time whcih was annoying. We returned to the hall to rapturous applause. This was the first worrying point since we'd been told this wasn't the case and we'd just skulk back in to sit with the others getting their MAs. The next worrying point was when we were then directed to sit (having done more bowing to the vice-chancellor) to a point behind all the proceedings well away from the rest of the people getting MAs.
Luckily it seemed they knew what they were doing and before long we were up again and returning to the front to bow for our BAs. Again it was a case of just bowing whenever one of them doffed a cap or similar. :)
To get the MA though we actually had a line we had to say. Part of getting an MA is swearing a "medieval oath" (Tim was very excited about the chance to swear the last medieval oath in the country). I can't remember exactly what the oath says but basically its to be a good boy and help the university and things. It meant though that we all had to say "do Fidem". Unfortunately, our latin not being too good we weren't sure of our cue so we had to be prompted by the proctors so rather than a loud chorus of "Do Fidem!" there was just the slight embarrassed mutters of "do fidem...".
Then out for our next costume change. The BA gowns left and the MA gowns were put on. These were much nicer: comfortable cloaks and nice hoods with a lot of red. Thinking about it probably quite goth heaven really... :)
Another line up, this time for much longer, while waiting to go back in and be applauded. Much chatting to various people, some of which we didn't have a clue who they were, before our last bit of the proceedings. In hindsight I'm not sure whether this was when the do fidem line came in rather than earlier. I think it was actually.
And then it was over and we stood outside. My main thought looking back was that when waiting I wa dead nervous but by the time we got going it felt like a set piece in a roleplaying game. I didn't feel embarrassed by the ridiculous costumes, the bowing to people when they doffed their hat because I've done it so many times before in games. :)
Anyway, after that was a little look around divinity schools and some more photos and then back to Keble for more photos including the official group photo and some individual photos as requested by my parents. I was quite impatient when after the professional photos my parents and sister asked for *more* photos. It was a very hot day and I was in a suit with a gown over the top, I just wanted to get it off... Anyway, eventually I managed it and I cooled down and we then went to get some Tea.
A tour of college followed. My parents have seen it many times before but my sister hadn't really. The chapel was looking even nicer than usual since there had been a wedding in there. Decorated with flowers and all that kind of thing it looked very pretty.
After that a quick drink and then back to Gino's again for dinner. They have tables outside which are very nice to eat at in the summer. As I say, my restaurant of choice at the moment. :)
After that my parents headed back to B&B and my sister and I walked back home. I was exhausted after such a long day so crashed out fairly early (early enough in fact that I was still watching TV at the time). The next day my parents came round in the morning and after chatting for a while headed home and I then took my sister to the station.
The rest of the day was spent catching up with people I don't see enough of but that's not part of my graduation so I shall briefly namecheck Caroline, Briony and Lucie as those I saw and move to a conclusion. After mentioning that we played on the swings a bit. :)
So that was my gradutation. I thought it was great and enjoyed it much more than I expected to. I highly reccomend it to anybody who hasn't had a go already. :)
[1] For those non-oxford people sub-fusc is the "uniform" of rhe university. You wear it for the various ceremonies and exams and things. For a bloke it consists of dark suit, black shoes, white shirt, white bow tie basically. Gowns are usually worn with it but in this case I didn't need one since they were being provided.
[2] Oxford ha a strange system whereby once you've done your first degree you wait another couple of years and they give you an MA too. Tim would be able to explain it much beteter but my rough understanding is that it is linked much more to what a BA and MA used to be rather than what they have come to mean. The joys of an 800 year old university... :)
The weekend started on Friday really though I'd been doing bits and pieces before that to get ready such as new suit and checking I had all the things I needed for Sub Fusc [1]. Friday straight after work I went to get my hair cut since I new my parents would want lots of photos so I thought I'd try to look smartish. So with neatened up hair I took the scenic route home (via Krys's) and after a few phone calls arranged to meet my parents in town.
By the time I got to the Grapes where we were meeting my sister was half way through a pint and reading a book. My parents were nowhere to be seen. So I got a drink and started catching up with my sister. My parents turned up after another 15 or 20 minutes declaring that summertown to town center was further than they thought. They'd decided to walk. :)
We decamped to dinner at Gino's (my restaurant of choice in oxford at the moment) and had a lovely meal that I failed to finish due to size of portions and starters and things. Wine was had with dinner and it was all very nice.
After that my sister and I headed back to my place to crash out and my parents headed back to the B&B they were staying in.
Next morning was the big day and I was up nice and early to sort myself out. I'll probably surprise nobody by saying that I forgot to shave but apart from that I was all nice and smart and ready and my sister and I headed in to keble by foot.
We got in and met my parents there and then wandered off to where coffee was being served and I had to do signing in things. I signed in, got given my first gown (I'd be wearing three different gowns throughout the day), and then bumped into friends (tim and will for those that know them) that I chatted to. Photos happened in various quantities and then before we new it (and almost before my family had got the wine that was floating around) we headed off to hall for lunch.
My parents were all deeply impressed by it all and my sister couldn't believe that I used to eat in that hall every night. Or that I got the choice to at any rate... :)
Lunch was very nice and after that the warden said stuff and so did the dean of degrees. We then followed him down to the SCR where we were instructed on how it would all go and what we needed to do. Most people there were collecting their MAs. Some were collecting BAs and me and one other guy were collecting both BA and MA...[2]. Full instructions were given and we wandered down to where the ceremony was actually happening, now clutching mortar boards and very much holding up traffic. :)
Once we were seated there was a bit of a pause for things until the ceremony started with various people entering in procession. Its kind of hard to describe it all and unfortunately I don't have the little booklet that explains what was going on in detail. The Vice-chancellor (or apparently his substitute - I wouldn't know) gave a little speech which was very good and most amusing in places (something like "You think that we're all fuddy duddies stuck in the past but we are actually grasping the 20th century with enthusiasm" - he did it better though).
The ceremony itself then started with a lot of latin. In that the only non-latin really spoken after that was the various proctors giving us our prompts on moving this way or that way or kneeling there or who to bow to, etc.
I was quite early to do my first part. I was called up with two others and approached the vice chancellor and the two proctors (I think) seated by him. I took the hand of the keble dean of degrees (my right hand across my body to hold his right hand) as he presented us and we bowed several times. Luckily I knew when to bow by the simple rule that the dean had told me - when somebody doffs their hat or bows to you then you bow back.
This part having been done we trooped out to change gowns. We went from commoners gowns up to the BA gown. Much more flowy and felt like it was falling off all the time whcih was annoying. We returned to the hall to rapturous applause. This was the first worrying point since we'd been told this wasn't the case and we'd just skulk back in to sit with the others getting their MAs. The next worrying point was when we were then directed to sit (having done more bowing to the vice-chancellor) to a point behind all the proceedings well away from the rest of the people getting MAs.
Luckily it seemed they knew what they were doing and before long we were up again and returning to the front to bow for our BAs. Again it was a case of just bowing whenever one of them doffed a cap or similar. :)
To get the MA though we actually had a line we had to say. Part of getting an MA is swearing a "medieval oath" (Tim was very excited about the chance to swear the last medieval oath in the country). I can't remember exactly what the oath says but basically its to be a good boy and help the university and things. It meant though that we all had to say "do Fidem". Unfortunately, our latin not being too good we weren't sure of our cue so we had to be prompted by the proctors so rather than a loud chorus of "Do Fidem!" there was just the slight embarrassed mutters of "do fidem...".
Then out for our next costume change. The BA gowns left and the MA gowns were put on. These were much nicer: comfortable cloaks and nice hoods with a lot of red. Thinking about it probably quite goth heaven really... :)
Another line up, this time for much longer, while waiting to go back in and be applauded. Much chatting to various people, some of which we didn't have a clue who they were, before our last bit of the proceedings. In hindsight I'm not sure whether this was when the do fidem line came in rather than earlier. I think it was actually.
And then it was over and we stood outside. My main thought looking back was that when waiting I wa dead nervous but by the time we got going it felt like a set piece in a roleplaying game. I didn't feel embarrassed by the ridiculous costumes, the bowing to people when they doffed their hat because I've done it so many times before in games. :)
Anyway, after that was a little look around divinity schools and some more photos and then back to Keble for more photos including the official group photo and some individual photos as requested by my parents. I was quite impatient when after the professional photos my parents and sister asked for *more* photos. It was a very hot day and I was in a suit with a gown over the top, I just wanted to get it off... Anyway, eventually I managed it and I cooled down and we then went to get some Tea.
A tour of college followed. My parents have seen it many times before but my sister hadn't really. The chapel was looking even nicer than usual since there had been a wedding in there. Decorated with flowers and all that kind of thing it looked very pretty.
After that a quick drink and then back to Gino's again for dinner. They have tables outside which are very nice to eat at in the summer. As I say, my restaurant of choice at the moment. :)
After that my parents headed back to B&B and my sister and I walked back home. I was exhausted after such a long day so crashed out fairly early (early enough in fact that I was still watching TV at the time). The next day my parents came round in the morning and after chatting for a while headed home and I then took my sister to the station.
The rest of the day was spent catching up with people I don't see enough of but that's not part of my graduation so I shall briefly namecheck Caroline, Briony and Lucie as those I saw and move to a conclusion. After mentioning that we played on the swings a bit. :)
So that was my gradutation. I thought it was great and enjoyed it much more than I expected to. I highly reccomend it to anybody who hasn't had a go already. :)
[1] For those non-oxford people sub-fusc is the "uniform" of rhe university. You wear it for the various ceremonies and exams and things. For a bloke it consists of dark suit, black shoes, white shirt, white bow tie basically. Gowns are usually worn with it but in this case I didn't need one since they were being provided.
[2] Oxford ha a strange system whereby once you've done your first degree you wait another couple of years and they give you an MA too. Tim would be able to explain it much beteter but my rough understanding is that it is linked much more to what a BA and MA used to be rather than what they have come to mean. The joys of an 800 year old university... :)