Graduation Day!

Yesterday was the big day!  We had a fairly quiet morning.  Daughter's best friend from undergrad days at UCLA flew in from Hawaii to be present at her graduation; she took the subway from the airport to Berkeley and daughter picked her up from the subway station and brought her back to the apartment.  They picked up doughnuts for breakfast and I cooked a roast chicken and savory rice for a late lunch.  I couldn't taste the savory rice, but the roast chicken was OK.  Weird taste buds!

After lunch, in the late afternoon, we got dressed.  Then, drove to the Hearst Greek Theatre where the event was to take place.  It's named after William Randolph Hearst, who paid for the construction.  The first graduation at the Greek Theatre took place in May 1903 while it was still under construction, with an address by President Theodore Roosevelt (we were told all this by the Dean of the School of Public Health, at last night's event).

The Greek Theater

Daughter dropped me off at one of the entrances and then, she and her friend went to park the car.  Afterwards, they joined me and there was a bit of a confusion as to exactly where to go, but we eventually found the gate through which I was supposed to enter. Then, she had to go and collect the replacement tickets we had ordered and come back, because I needed a ticket in order to go in!  After which, she had to go back to the entrance she was supposed to use as a graduating student!  Poor thing had a lot of walking (and going up and down stairs as it is a very hilly campus!) to do and she was wearing heels!

All Decorated for the Ceremony!

Initially, the weather was very pleasant and warm!  In the high 70s!  And it remained pleasant until the sun went down.  After that, it became chilly, and I was glad I had brought a sweater, a scarf, a winter coat, gloves, a blanket for my lap, etc.  I used them all and remained nice and warm.  I had also brought a knitted shawl, but I gave that to daughter's friend, as she hadn't brought as many warm things as I had and was feeling cold.
  

We were entertained with music by a live band and then, at 7 o'clock, they played "Pomp and Circumstance" and the processional started with the faculty entering the stage first and the graduating students entering the arena, below.  First the doctoral students, followed by the masters students and then, the undergraduates.

Processional

My Daughter in the Processional (2nd person to the left of the person in red shirt)

I don't have a digital camera, only my phone camera.  And I didn't remember to try to zoom in!  My daughter's friend had daughter's digital camera and took some pictures with it, until it ran out of battery power!  Still, I managed to get a picture of my daughter as she filed into place (she's the 3rd person from the right, wearing a gold stole:

Masters Students at Their Places

 Of course, there were a lot of speeches and presentations of awards!  The welcome address was by the Dean of the School of Public Health, who led us all in the campus cheer of "Go Bears!"  :D  The commencement address was by the President of the American Public Health Association.  There were 32 students who received their doctorate.  161 students who received their masters.  And 220 students who received their bachelors.

I tried to take a picture of daughter as she received her diploma, but she walked so quickly, all I got was a blur!

Daughter "Walking"

Daughter didn't want to wait for the reception, afterwards.  I think she was pretty tired and she said her feet were sore in their high heels.  So, we gave the reception a miss and came home to toast her achievement with sparkling apple cider and to have a late dinner of leftover pizza!

Finally, a picture of daughter in her sari (sorry, I cropped her head off as she didn't want her face shown).

The Purple Sari

Yesterday, I was grateful for:

- Being alive to see my daughter receive her Masters degree.
- Being able to attend the ceremony in person.
- All obstacles (forgotten tickets, etc.) were small ones, easily overcome.
- Being able to share in my daughter's achievements.
- Being able to give my daughter the gift of higher education, free of debt!

Yes, daughter has no student loans to burden her!  That is my gift to her.  I am blessed to have been able to achieve that!  I am not rich, my sole income is my salary; and furthermore, I am a single parent who has never received (nor asked for) a cent of child support (and I am proud of that, too!).  But, through careful and frugal management of my money, I paid for her tuition and other expenses through undergraduate and graduate school (and, concurrently, paid off my house, too!)  I am feeling rather proud of my achievement.   And, yes, my daughter is very grateful for all what I have done for her.  She knows that she is blessed, too.  :)