POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE

Today, I officially get my M.Eng degree conferred upon me at the 1:30pm graduation ceremony at the Chan Centre. The event will bring to a close my latest academic adventure.

Since I also received my undergrad degree from UBC, I don’t feel quite as excited about this ceremony as I did for my first degree. Don’t get me wrong, I’m quite satisfied with my accomplishment, but I’m more acutely aware of the lengthy speeches this time around. Nonetheless, the whole thing shouldn’t take any more than an hour and half from the time I sit my ass down.

If you’re interested, the hood of my degree is fully lined in scarlet with a dark blue cord. The undergrads get a single, thin cord of colour, but I’ll be pimped out today. Of course, nothing can top the regalia of a PhD student with bright colours that distinctively say, “I kicked all your asses.”

While only my family will be there live to witness this grand ceremony, I invite you to watch if I trip while I walk across the stage through UBC’s webcast of the event. The video stream starts at 1:15pm but you can join in anytime. My guess is that they’ll start calling out names around 2:30pm. I’ll be among the first to be called. Turn it on and leave it running in the background, it’ll give us something to talk about when we see each other next.

Well, I’ll be back when I get in my hands the most expensive piece of paper I’ve ever paid for.

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