Graduation in Cambridge

I have finally attended graduation in Cambridge after months of planning.

I started planning for my family to come over since January 2007, way before I finished the MPhil. I had initially wanted to graduate in November last year but reconsidered for a less miserable time of the year to do it.

So I chose May 2008 - plenty of daylight, mild temperature, stable weather conditions and cheaper flight tickets. Knowing that the third is a lie, I prayed hard for good weather since Christmas! I guess my prayer was answered.

In fact, I read in the papers a day after graduation that it was the hottest day of the year since 30 years ago! 28 deg C in May??!! No wonder I had a wet forehead.

Even though it wasn't difficult to convince my parents, brother and friends to attend, I was asking myself the question if it was really worth it for them to fly 13 hours all the way from Malaysia to attend a 20-minute ceremony.

There are so many other logistics on top of that - accommodation, transportation, food, travel to other places, making sure everyone's RSVP-ed and their flights are booked and confirmed, making sure everyone's got a place during the congregation lunch and ticket to the Regent House, etc etc. You know those kinda stuff like you'd normally do in a wedding ceremony as well.

Indeed, I felt like I was planning for a wedding! I'm glad I do not have plans for a next MPhil or PhD at the moment.

There were five family members and friends who attended the ceremony. I was initially worried that five was quite a stretch to Wolfson's allowance of three guests per student to the Regent House. They allowed the additional two after several email exchanges to the pra-elector. I am still very grateful to his generosity and understanding.

With my family

The day started at Wolfson College President's Garden where drinks were served. We had champagne, wine and fruit juice. Then it was the President and Praelector's speeches. We were fortunate that both the President and praelector came to our group for a chat despite the large number of students graduating in May.

With the President of Wolfson College, Dr Gordon Johnson, who was also the Deputy Vice Chancellor for the ceremony. What a coincidence!

After that we proceeded for lunch at the College hall. I could understand most of the guests were excited for lunch as we were. I overheard a conversation, "Is this the Harry Potter thing you were saying?" I found it amusing that this is the way people relate such unique experience which would otherwise be a lot harder to describe.

There was a 3-hour gap after lunch to the next event. Thanks to Farouk, this year's ESD student who lent his place to us for 3 days, we were able to get some rest first.

After that, we reconvened at the multi-purpose hall in College. There was a 15-minute rehearsal of what we must do before we walked to the Regent House. Walking from College to the Regent House was one of the proudest moments of being a student of Cambridge.

Walking to the Regent House

When we passed nearby Darwin College, they too were walking in the same direction. There, I met a few familiar faces from other MPhil programmes. We chatted and caught up on news. Was really nice meeting familiar people and seeing everyone so smartly dressed and not in bicycles! Haha!

Into the Regent House.
**No photography in the Regent House**

The praelector is the person who would present us to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (the person awarding us the degree) in the Regent House. I was arranged in alphabetical order - third in row and second in line.

We were briefed about the order of the event. We were required to hold on to a finger of the praelector while he leads and presents us to the Deputy Vice Chancellor.

We were supposed to kneel in front of him and put our palms together (in prayer mode) while he clasps his hands on ours and confers us with our respective degrees; MPhil, MBA or PhD. The entire ceremony is done in Latin and in the name of the Holy Trinity: "...in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti." This is the Cambridge custom of 800 years old. However, students do have a choice if they don't want to kneel or be conferred with the Trinitarian formula for personal or religious reasons.

This is one of those experiences that I want my parents, brother and friends to have and share with others about Cambridge when they return. This unique experience is not something that will happen everyday, everywhere or to everyone- at least not in Malaysia!

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the following people:

1. Parents for their support and guidance.
2. Brother for the same.
3. Two aunts from the maternal side for their well wishes and angpaos.
4. Two grandmas for their support, well wishes and angpaos.
5. Friends for their well wishes.

Special mention to:
6. Farouk for lending his place in Cambridge.
7. Evelyn Lee for lending her place in London.
8. Fr Charles Serrao, Ferdinand, Gregory and students in their College for their great hospitality in showing us Rome.
9. CP Yap for lending his place in Paris.
10. Irene for helping much in the logistics.
11. My housemates - Paul, Brendon and DD for their kind understanding when my parents were here.

Finally but most importantly:
To God for giving me the life, ability, scholarship, knowledge, inspiration, motivation and direction to Cambridge in the first place!