Graduation summer 2023

In a way, graduation is very dull. You just sit on a podium and clap. At some point you stand up and sing the Welsh National anthem. But in another way, it is very exciting. All the people you clap for are the people you have taught for years and who now have completed it! And they are very happy and smiley and so are you. And after the ceremony you can mingle and congratulate them. And it's the most relaxed you'll see them because they're done. You are no longer a person who has the power to give them good or bad grades. You are just someone who is happy for them. It is different! 

Given that I lead the dissertation module, I will at least on paper have dealt with every single one of the students. Sometimes it's just nice to get finally get a name with a face. But the ones you really look out for are the students you know yourself; especially tutees and dissertation students. Or project students, if they get their masters. 

This year was special; this time there was a friend graduating. Lydia, with whom I have been going underground several times, was getting her Masters. And I was prepared; I had made her a memento. 

When the day came I biked to Main Arts; the weather forecast had been horrible, but I hadn't got particularly wet. Fortunately! I went to pick up my gown; this time they gave me a Bangor gown. Fine with me! And then I went to the council chamber where we always gather before we march ceremoniously into the hall where it all takes place. Only in the council chamber did I change into my smart shoes.

Me in my Bangor outfit

There was a good turnout. It was quite a procession! And I ended up on the second row, but with quite a good view. Then it started.

The acoustics are such that if a speaker stands on the podium, the audience can hear them well, but the people behind them might very well struggle. And I'm not particularly good at hearing what people say on the best of days. So the speeches were a little bit lost on me. But then, one by one, the graduates were called forward and we could do our clapping. And be reminded of all the students. Somewhere towards the end come out because of her Masters, was Lydia. She was in a glamorous dress and heels! And with lipstick! I had never seen her like that. She rocked it.

We also did indeed sing the national anthem, like last year. I wasn't sure if that would happen again! There had been no mention of it. I don't think we were very loud. I couldn't hear anyone of the staff singing. And I know the song, but my singing ability is very limited, so I don't go particularly loud myself either.

Normally, when the ceremony is over, we get lead into the inner courtyard for a picture of the whole cohort. This time it didn't happen. Maybe because of the weather? Instead we came out in the open space that I suppose technically is also a courtyard, but not enclosed. There I tried to find the relevant people to congratulate. I found many of them! Including Lydia. I was glad she appreciated my memento. I also had a chat with her grandparents.

A picture from the School of Ocean Sciences Facebook page; four of our new graduates. All having done degrees that I teach quite heavily on. The chap furthest right would later get an award for the best dissertation in the physical sciences.

After that ceremony there was also reception in a different building. After a while I gave my gown and hat back, and biked up there. There I had a long chat with one of our new BScs, who was about to move to Australia to continue his studies. And two friends, one of which was going back to the States, and the other one was expected to graduate next year. Among other things, we spoke about the influence of AI on education.

I also had some lunch and some bubbly wine to celebrate. And after a while, there was a brief ceremony in which two students received a reward. One had had to be especially invited; she had won the prize for the best biological dissertation, but she was doing an integrated masters, so she wouldn't graduate until next year. But she was there!

After the ceremony I decided to go home. I still had a tutorial to do from my home office, with one of my master’s students (not the one doing fieldwork). I got back into my comfortable shoes and left. It had been a good day! And I hope all our new graduates will have an amazing future!