The Big Day!!

After couple of years of relentless work, several sleepless nights (many of them due to submissions or final exams) and countless moments of anxiety the odyssey of my masters degree was complete.....and on December 12^th 2008 I became a part of Graduating Class of 2008!

When daunted by my inexhaustible thesis.... I would envisage my graduation day hoping that it would motivate me to go on! {Those of you who have read my “lonely to home(ly)” post would know how eagerly I was awaiting this day! } As the “big day” approached that anticipation continued to intensify and I imagined that day to be spectacular with me floating somewhere around cloud 9!!

But history stands witness to the fact.... any such eagerly awaited event.... anything with oodles of expectations is bound to be.... for lack of a better word.... a “flop”! That would explain why it took me 5 whole days to construct (notice my use of “civil engineering” vocabulary... just a testament to the fact that I now have masters degree in it!) this post!

I just wanted to be sure that I did feel that it was “no big deal” and reflect on its reasons.....“Why so??” Most probably because I messed up in the middle... almost quit and unwillingly completed it! But just so that my I myself hear it too.... it was a “BIG DAMN DEAL”!!!! J

None the less.... walking down the slope of the spirits arena (in the oversized black coat) to the backstage.... I did feel a sense of euphoria! After a very longgggggg hour’s wait we were escorted to the main arena with cameras pointing at our faces (awkward awkward) as all the graduates walked in!! McCain was there. He was introduced to the crowd preceded by an impressive speech (by our chancellor) to a standing ovation!... McCain I believe was called because our rival school (TAMU!) had “The President of the United States” as their chief guest! However I must add.... McCain gave a real nice speech.....most of which I did not sleep through (no pun intended... I was very tired for some reason and kept dosing off even in the backstage area... so if I was awake through a speech.... it must be good!)

After what seemed like forever.... we were handed our degrees after we shook hands with atleast 10 people who were on the graduation committee.... and there I had a revelation... if I am congratulated 10 times in a row I do feel like saying “Enough already”!! .... B.O.R.I.N.G!

The only person I was glad to see was my professor Dr. Morse... she was there too and her congratulations meant more than all other people put together!

Inspite of all this day was “Purrrfect”! I wore my graduation dress (which I had bought last month and had hoped it wouldn’t be too cold so that I could wear it) and we dined at the Maharaja- the only Indian restaurant in Lubbock। Also we had the legendary ‘photo session’ as we paraded around the campus in our ridiculously oversized gowns! We also threw our caps but did not manage to catch it.... all owing to my appalling hand-eye co-ordination... I am dreadful in all games requiring a good hand-eye co-ordination॥ eg। Basketball, gold and billiards!

Also...spent lotta time catching up with old friends before saying final adios to Lubbock!