My First Macalester Graduation

The Class of 2011 has graduated. I am now a senior. I am a senior? It's incredible to imagine that in a year, these people will be my friends and me.

Graduation at Macalester is a splendid affair.  Students are led in by a pipe band blaring Scotland the Brave, which amuses me on so many levels.  It also sticks in my head for the rest of the day.  Even as I type this I begin to humm...

After the friends, recognizable faces, and those unknown to me trail in, then come the professors decked out in their robes and, best of all, their hats.  Who knew that when one graduated with a PH-D in Math they would receive such a renaissance reminiscent, floppy, head adornment.  We searched for our favorite professors as they walked dignified into the gymnasium.  I looked for Christina Esposito, the linguistics adviser I haven't seen since sophomore year.  My cohorts found their theater profs, particularly Beth Cleary, who showed up with a fantastic yellow boa to accent her robes.

BriRo (President of Macalester College, Brian Rosenberg) deepened my love for him by giving a commencement speech on his attempts at blogging in the Huffington Post. Highlights of the speech included his imaginary response to a critic, "You sir, are an idiot. LOL."  The point of all this surrounded the idea that we shouldn't leave the skills we learn at Mac behind.  Take the importance of sources, of fact checking, of critical analysis into the world, even the world of Twitter and Facebook.  "Tweet Responsibly"

At a Macalester commencement, two great things are allowed.  You choose who you sit next to and you choose whether you want to wear the cap, the gown, or any combination thereof. Outfits ranged from classic cap and gowns, to jean jackets and red pants, to Julia Brown, who wore the most perfect pink dress, white wrap, and pillbox hat. As a result, two questions will surround our discussions next year. 1) Can we fill an entire row with friends and 2) What will we wear??

To Matt Kazinka and Emily- Your speech was beautiful, sweet, and wonderfully reminiscent. I can only hope that the speakers from my class will do as fantastic a job as you.

To the Official Commencement Speaker- I think you are a recent mother.  As a result, your speech focused a lot of the joys of being a mother.  You are speaking in front of a group aged 22. They really cannot relate. I am so glad that you have found the birth of your children that life changing, however I wish you might have chosen a more applicable topic. 

To Tue- Perhaps that cartwheel was too much. Knocking into the microphone at graduation while memorable, maybe not the best move.

To the woman who read off names- You sound like an Olympic announcer.  It made the presentation of diplomas much more exciting. Please read next year as well.

Commencements are exciting. They are sad. They are moving. They are long. They have bagpipes and speeches and cartwheels and funny hats and awesome hats. Commencements have joy.

Graduates of 2011, I will miss you more then you know. You were the first faces I saw on campus when I arrived. You were my OL, you were my mentor, you moved me with your performances, your actions, and your writing, you inspired me, and you were my friend. You were the best first graduation ceremony a girl could hope for.

For most of you, I never got a chance to say good bye.  Goodbye friends. Good luck. I will miss you.