Winter Graduation

Somehow, I got “finagled” into going to AUC’s winter graduation. REMEMBER, I’ve only been at AUC for 1 semester, I don’t know any of the students graduating. But, as is so often the case with faculty and graduation, most of the faculty DOESN’T GO. The AUC graduation is split into 2 parts: the awards and speeches, then an intermission (where lots of faculty leave and lots of family arrive) and lastly the presenting of the diplomas. Many “warned” me about the graduation – long, boring, loud – more of a hafla than an academic event. Ahh well, here we go.

AUC busses all the attending faculty to the convention center, much like Highline does. Unfortunately, unlike Highline, the pre-event hors d’oeuvres do not include wine. We all got into the academic regalia and waited and waited and waited. We had arrived at 4:30 for a 6:30 graduation. As we were paraded into the hall, past the families and the graduates, we were directed ONTO THE STAGE. Apparently AUC has it’s attending faculty on stage throughout. Under the lights, in the academic gowns, on uncomfortable chairs, with nothing to do but stare into the lights and try to look engaged. Gee, I wonder why most of the faculty has “other committments” on graduation day? Then the intermission. There is snacky food and water and juice. the lobby is PACKED and LOUD as graduates take pictures and family coos over their accomplishments.

The presenting of the degrees was, suprisingly, coordinated and fast. Only a little over an hour for 448 degrees. The reader kept people moving even with the hoots, screams, whistles and ululations from the audience. It was loud, it was genuine, it was joyous. I have to admit, it was fun! By the end, I must also confess, I had a raging headache from the lights, noise and lack of food, but I didn’t have the intense adverse reaction to the event that so many people expressed. I think I’m going to try to avoid summer graduation (twice as many graduates and three times as hot), but not from some visceral aversion to the event. The heat, lights and length of the event will keep me from attending – not the event itself. The winter graduation had us leaving AUC at 4 and I didn’t get home until after 10. It makes for a VERY long day.
I honestly think that my reaction to the chaos of the AUC graduation stems from having been at Highline for so many graduations. The same pride and excitement from the families was present at Highline’s graduations. They too were loud and slightly chaotic. The emotions were genuine though, so, to me, they were not distasteful. I enjoy seeing the excitement, there and here.