The Big Day: Graduation!

This past Friday, May 21st, I graduated from Georgetown University with a Master of Arts in Sociolinguistics. I'm not going to lie: It was a great day. My mom, my dad, my aunt Janice, and of course my sister and brother-in-law were all there to witness the Big Event and celebrate the achievement with me. (Warning: LOTS of photos to follow!)

The Linguistics Department held a little reception before Commencement to honor all those from the department who were graduating. Dr. Deborah Tannen, a well-known linguist and one of my professors, was kind enough to pose for a photo. She also read my name as I walked across the stage later.



The graduation was held on the "quad" of the historic Georgetown campus. Here's Healy Hall all decked out for the ceremonies.



The day was quite warm and shade on the lawn was in short supply. Uncomfortable, yes, but better than my undergraduate graduation, which was also held outdoors--in the pouring rain. My ever-inventive family came up with a creative way to make some shade of their own while they waited for the festivities to begin.



At long last, all the graduates filed onto the quad in our caps and gowns: first the Masters candidates followed by the PhD students, accompanied by "Pomp and Circumstance."




The festivities were both too long (sitting in the afternoon sun on the lawn wearing a black polyester muumuu made me feel more annoyed than inspired when the college President gave his "rah rah go team" remarks) and too short, with my moment of glory lasting barely 60 seconds from the moment Dr. Tannen read my name, I walked across the stage, shook hands with the dean and the college president, then was "hooded" by a faculty member and walked back to my seat.



Afterwards there was much posing for photos, including this one with my mom and dad.



And here you get a glimpse of the hood, in Hoya blue and gray.


The diploma means I'm bonafide! (Too bad it's written entirely in Latin so no one else will know where it's from!)



At the celebratory dinner that evening (thanks, Janice!), we happened to mention to our server that I had just graduated. She arranged for a special garnish for the dessert plate.



The last three years have been busy and exhausting and stimulating and wonderful. I feel so grateful to have studied at such a magnificent university with such accomplished professors who really brought to life my interest in language. The whole excellent day was a fine way to end this phase of my academic life. Once again I must say: WAHOO!!!!