And then...the bagpipes! Yeah, that's right. Bagpipes and guys in kilts. The bagpipes led the processional, followed by the faculty. When we walked in the faculty were lined up on the side and we got to say hi and we walked past. I was lined up so I could sit next to Ashley, which I am glad because I needed someone to keep me awake for the rest of the ceremony. We got to our seats and sat down.
The student speaker was Hans Romo...his speech started off good, but then he got off on how it is our responsibility to distribute the wealth that we earn to people who don't earn it...I'm sorry, but a graduation is no place for a political speech...I was wondering if he had been endorsed by Obama's cabinet to say what he did. Eh, what do you expect when you go to the most liberal school in the state of Utah?
The Commencement speaker was Congressman Jim Leach...and sadly, I could not tell you what he said. I was dead tired by this point, it was warm, and he was talking in a very monotone voice with no animation or personality whatsoever. I'm sure what he was talking about was interesting (the few words I caught) but the way he talked was not uplifting at all. I think I dozed a couple of times. Ashley received a text from a friend saying to get on to the passing out of the diplomas already! I just laughed.
Finally, he was finished and it was time to pass out the diplomas...all 800 of them! At this graduation they not only do the Bachelor degrees, but also all the Master and nursing degrees. That was a lot of people to go through.
Our row finally got to go up. While walking up I was totally afraid that I would either trip on the stairs leading up to the stage, or the ones leading down. I passed the first set of stairs with no problem. My name was called and I walked up to receive my diploma (or diploma case I should say), posed for a picture and then headed for the dreaded steps off the stage. Thankfully, I did not fall on those either :)
After the passing out of diplomas we heard from more speakers. The Welcome Class of 2010 speech by Tofi Ta'afua (Alumni class of 2001) gave the most uplifting speech of the whole ceremony. Then, the ceremony concluded with a prayer (awkward). There were three of us there betting on what time the ceremony would end and the time I guessed was the closest. The winner got a hug...so Ashley gave me a big hug at the end of the ceremony just before we began to exit.
The bagpipes started, and we walked out as college graduates! We walked through the faculty and I realized this was probably the last time I would see them. Just thinking about it now...I'm going to miss school.
I walked outside, got some more pics with the Comm. students and then proceeded to search for my family. I did not have my cell phone on me (dumb decision on my part) so I had no way of finding out where anyone was. Eventually, my sister found me. We got some more pictures in front of the E-Center and then I turned in my torn gown and got my real diploma.
Afterwards we went to one of my favorite Chinese food restaurants called China Chefs. I was so sick from being dehydrated and hungry that I inhaled the food. It was really yummy! My grandparents, mom, sister, Matt, Karynne, Tiffany and her family, Wendy and Ingolf were all at the restaurant...all of them were at the graduation ceremony minus Tiffany and her family, plus Karynne (who she was watching).
After that, I went home and polished up my talk that I would be giving in the church the very next day. The talk was on the hymn "I Know that My Redeemer Lives."
So that was my graduation. It was a very long day (a 12-hour day to be exact). But I made it. After four long and hard years of working my butt off, I made it through college. The first girl in my immediate family to graduate from college. Now off to the next adventure!
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