Graduation day!!!: 24-July-2009

 
Finally, the day I officially become a PhD graduate!!!! My family was largely absent, but friends were there to celebrate the day with me. Ate Dinah, Ate Tin, and her husband, Kuya Rowan, and her daughter Rihanna, were at the venue to watch the ceremony.

Unlike my UPLB graduation in 2002, which lasted six hours (at least) and PhDs marching last, the ceremony in UQ lasted about two hours only, with the PhDs marching first. No photographs were allowed in the venue, and were only permitted outside the UQ Centre Exhibition Hall. An official photographer was present to shoot everyone's acceptance of the UQ tube. 

I felt more excited and relieved with seeing the final copy of my thesis being accepted in March this year, than the graduation ceremony in July. Probably because there was a long gap between the two events. Nevertheless, I was so happy to wear my Doctor of Philosophy Cambridge-style academic dress, with the red-lined gown, the red-lined hood, and the funny bonnet. The happiness of having my thesis accepted was more of relief, while of the graduation was more of closure, and the start of my post-PhD life.


Thanks to Bob for making sure that I attend my graduation ceremony! 

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