Graduation

[miyako_chan]

So today was our graduation ceremony. Or it was supposed to be. Instead it was some kind of gathering meant to boost the egos of the rich board members and trustees while the people who actually mattered sat in the freezing cold rain with no cover and became soaked. How much money have we put into this school? And this is the graduation ceremony we get?! Even if it were a drizzle than maybe I could see myself sitting for the whole thing, but it was a steady downfall. All we had were ponchos while our parents and relatives had nothing. We were all completely soaked through. Our caps and gowns were totally wet even despite the fact that most of us were wearing ponchos. It was miserable. I always thought that graduation speeches seemed a little fake, like the people saying them didn't really care that it was OUR day, but today totally proved that I was right. They blabbed away with their five minute long speeches while we got colder and wetter and then had the gaul to add that they were so glad to see us out their enduring the rain. Really? Really? None of us were out there to hear your hot wind, we were out there for us because that's what a graduation is. And still, they didn't do the shortened version of the ceremony until AFTER everyone gave their pompus speeches. The shortened version was them calling out the department, having those people stand at their seats and then that was it. No one would have even gotten their names called...only the people who had gotten doctorates and the names of the board and dean. Then finally they decided that it was raining too hard and that we needed to do a shortened version. This was after I left and half the other people. Graduates walking out on their own graduation? Yes, it happened at Pratt.

Going home in the morning. Just trying to pack up everything and all the odds and ends right now. I think I'm basically there...

--Merritt