We’re done!
by noel on May 23 2009 (1590 Views)Today we traded in our acid-burned, grease-stained lab coats for nice looking rental gowns. It was really an ugly day–we’ve been having beautiful sunny days in the 80s all month–until now, that is. Today was a whooping 55 degree with dark grey clouds hovering over the beautiful Berkeley landscape. Just about everything was out of the ordinary.
Today the College of Chemistry @Cal held its 137th commencement ceremony.
The two hours was reasonably pleasant to sit through. The whole ceremony was rather casual and humorous. We didn’t have much of any rehearsal. People were sitting when they were supposed to stand, speakers forgot their spots during the speech, the dean returned to his seat before he handed out the last of the scrolls… but it was an intimate, light-hearted ceremony.
The most unforgettable moment for me was the reaction of the grad students. During the ceremony, Ph.D. candidates were seated on stage with the rest of the professors. After they all walked across the staged, got hooded, received a scroll and walked back to their seats, the dean officially granted them their degrees. Across rows of sleepy professors and their hoods of various colors, I saw the genuine happiness beaming from behind. They hugged each other, celebrating their accomplishments (and the 6-10 years they might have spent in this hole in the wall). It was just a really wonderful moment, since graduate students really don’t show much of any emotion. 
It was also something special for the Chemistry Blog, though. Today, Mitch, Maz and I walked across the same stage. So… PARTY TIME!!! (doesn’t Mitch look legit? That’s because you haven’t seen his shoes)!!!
So, cheers and many congratulations. And peace out, Berkeley.
Noel
“That’s why we love you guys. We ask you to do the impossible, and you ask us when it’s due.” – prof
Congratulations! I loved my graduation. It was the best part of the whole 4.5 year process.
Also, Noel – you’re hot.
We’re definitely the hottest team in the chemistry department. (Radiologically)
But I only did it for teh lulz.
Congratulations!
congratulations! tinged with small amounts of jealousy!
(which is really the best kind of congratulations if you think about it)
Congratulations!!
Congratulations!
May your dreams last longer than mine…
Nice picture, you guys look great in your gowns. I took about 5 billion pictures at my graduation! Congratulations!
PS. Love the quote from the prof.
Congratulations. Thank you for your blog.
Congratulations! Here’s to a future you can look forward to! *Raises glass*
Congratulations. In a few years you won’t remember much about it. All I remember about mine, is that my mother spent the whole time looking at someone who looked like me (he later became a prof at Berkeley, so maybe she knew something I didn’t).
Well done, congratulations!
Congratulations!
What’s next?
Congratulations!