PhD Graduation
I'm still here, I haven't stopped reading LJ/DW, I've just been rubbish at actually posting. So when a big momentous event comes along, it's probably a good time to write something about it.
On Friday I graduated from York University with my PhD.
We (my parents, my sister, and me) travelled down on Thursday by car to York. The ceremony was at 9.15am, and I had to be there at least two hours in advance to pick up gown and guest tickets, so it was an early start. We picked up Jules from the train station who made her way separately (she couldn't get off work early), and had a late meal at Pizza Express, because it was the only place we could find at that time of night.
Friday morning I was up at 6.10am, had a shower, breakfast, put my suit on and a red bow tie that I'd learnt to tie only the previous week. There were very few other PhD students graduating, and where most other people wore a mortar board, we wore a bonnet. That, the red trim, and the strange beard I'd been cultivating, made quite a combination, and I'm very glad I went with the bow tie.
The ceremony itself was about an hour and a half, including speeches from the person given honourary degree (a woman who had been the previous vice-chancellor of the university, who specialised in mediaeval literature, and gave a few choice comments about illegal wars, about how people of her generation had ruined life for the younger generation, and other criticisms of recent government), and by the chancellor Greg Dyke (previous BBC director general, also quite left wing, and who commented that the university had twice won awards for best university under 50 years old, which was convenient since this was its 50th year!). I really enjoyed the bleeding through of the politics.
I was the first person scheduled to go up, which was a little scary, but it meant I could sit back and relax for the rest of it. Afterwards, we had photos taken around the campus (built across a lake, which looked really nice), then went for a walk around York. The highlight of the day was probably when we spotted a little church down a small alley featuring live owl demonstrations. I got to lie down while a huge eagle owl flew over me, and later got to have my photo taken while I held it! That was definitely unexpected and memorable.
Eventually we left and headed back to Edinburgh, stopping briefly in Alnwick to look at the castle, and we didn't get home until after midnight. I was glad to be back as I desperately needed a shower. I'd been hot and sweaty all day (even during the ceremony, before the day had reached its peak temperature), and I don't handle the heat well. My back and neck were just dripping with sweat, and we were all sluggish and uncomfortable. I had my viva in York in December, when it was snowing, and frankly I'd have preferred those conditions (at least it would have made it easier to wear the gown and suit).
So there you go. I had a great day (apart from the heat), and I'm now officially (as in, got the bit of paper to prove it) a doctor of philosophy. *phew*.
On Friday I graduated from York University with my PhD.
We (my parents, my sister, and me) travelled down on Thursday by car to York. The ceremony was at 9.15am, and I had to be there at least two hours in advance to pick up gown and guest tickets, so it was an early start. We picked up Jules from the train station who made her way separately (she couldn't get off work early), and had a late meal at Pizza Express, because it was the only place we could find at that time of night.
Friday morning I was up at 6.10am, had a shower, breakfast, put my suit on and a red bow tie that I'd learnt to tie only the previous week. There were very few other PhD students graduating, and where most other people wore a mortar board, we wore a bonnet. That, the red trim, and the strange beard I'd been cultivating, made quite a combination, and I'm very glad I went with the bow tie.
The ceremony itself was about an hour and a half, including speeches from the person given honourary degree (a woman who had been the previous vice-chancellor of the university, who specialised in mediaeval literature, and gave a few choice comments about illegal wars, about how people of her generation had ruined life for the younger generation, and other criticisms of recent government), and by the chancellor Greg Dyke (previous BBC director general, also quite left wing, and who commented that the university had twice won awards for best university under 50 years old, which was convenient since this was its 50th year!). I really enjoyed the bleeding through of the politics.
I was the first person scheduled to go up, which was a little scary, but it meant I could sit back and relax for the rest of it. Afterwards, we had photos taken around the campus (built across a lake, which looked really nice), then went for a walk around York. The highlight of the day was probably when we spotted a little church down a small alley featuring live owl demonstrations. I got to lie down while a huge eagle owl flew over me, and later got to have my photo taken while I held it! That was definitely unexpected and memorable.
Eventually we left and headed back to Edinburgh, stopping briefly in Alnwick to look at the castle, and we didn't get home until after midnight. I was glad to be back as I desperately needed a shower. I'd been hot and sweaty all day (even during the ceremony, before the day had reached its peak temperature), and I don't handle the heat well. My back and neck were just dripping with sweat, and we were all sluggish and uncomfortable. I had my viva in York in December, when it was snowing, and frankly I'd have preferred those conditions (at least it would have made it easier to wear the gown and suit).
So there you go. I had a great day (apart from the heat), and I'm now officially (as in, got the bit of paper to prove it) a doctor of philosophy. *phew*.