Of gravy, gods and genuflection

I've finished my last Masters assignment!! As of 10 minutes ago, with my final Educational Policy paper, I've technically "graduated" with a Masters degree in Education from the University of Michigan. Euphoric? Not really, a little relieved maybe. It's been a great ride and honestly, I don't think I've enjoyed studying as much as I have this one-half years (and this is the closet geek in me talking no less...). Sunday would have been the day of my graduation ceremony but I won't be attending, not as a graduand anyway. Here, they call it Commencement, the day from which you commence the rest of your life with the degree you now hold. It hadn't occured to me that I could have "graduated" on Sunday (kind of) until someone asked me about it a couple of days ago. I guess having another four more years to go dampens the buoyant joy one is supposed to feel at the conferral of a Masters degree. The day I successfully defend my Doctoral dissertation, now that will be an occasion...

Nonetheless, some of our friends will be partaking of that great Michigan tradition known as "walking", i.e. the whole robe-and-mortar-board fanfare. Got me thinking of my students who graduated this year from junior college; these are the students I'd left behind when we came here last year. They were great kids and I would have loved to have been at their graduation in October. If you're reading guys, take a look at a commencement ceremony speech Salman Rushdie gave at Bard College a while back. Be inspired by what he has to say about never looking down, never giving in, and never compromising what you believe is rightfully yours. The education you've earned is the first few things in your life you can legitimately call your own, and you have the power to make that count. Go make it count. Go weave your tapestries and steal the fire.

And to Jason & Stan, happy graduation!