Festivities: Thursday through Saturday morning

Thursday was the start of graduation festivities. I attended a luncheon for graduates after I played for a friend's elementary school concert in the morning. Following the free food, I walked to another part of CoolCity with BestFriend and her roommates to explore the used bookstore and used CD/DVD store. (I got some great but cheap world music CDs, because I'm going to make world music the theme of the weeklong music camp I'm teaching for elementary school children next month.) From there, I booked it back to campus to rehearse for the next day's Baccalaureate service. Then I had an hour break before I had to head out to play for another concert at my friend's elementary school.

After the evening concert, I called my aunt and uncle, who had come into town for my graduation. I picked them up at their hotel and we drove to another part of CoolCity (where BestFriend and I had gone the week before). We ate lunch at a fun, trendy Chinese restaurant to which I had not been for 2-3 years. Yummy. Then ... back to campus. When I returned to campus, I went to a friend's room. This particular friend had collected pictures over the past 4 years and had compiled them into a movie for our small group of friends (the clique to which I used to belong, but not so much anymore). It was lovely to see the pictures, to laugh, to cry, etc. Before the final segment of the movie began, she apologized for its incompletion. Then the subtitle "Graduation 2007" flashed across the screen ... and we laughed. :-)

After I dutifully checked in for RA curfew (11pm curfew during finals, yuck!), I went up to an RA friend's room and hung out with her for awhile. We decided to get lunch the next morning one last time because she was leaving for Paris on Friday. (She's an international student, and she is completing an internship in Paris for a month before returning home to her country.)
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Friday: Day 1 of Graduation (University-wide)
After breakfasting with my friend, I went back to sleep for an hour. Then I got ready and attended an end-of-the-year luncheon for RAs. Italian-themed. (Ahh, memories!) It lasted way too long, but the free food was great. From there, I had under an hour to get ready for the Baccalaureate service. Lovely service.

Then it was time to line up with all of the other graduates from the University to process into the big building for the graduation ceremony. There were many people missing, including most of my music school friends, because this "official" graduation was not as important as our unofficial music school graduation the next day. We chatted and took pictures under the big tent outside (where we were lining up) before we processed in. BestFriend and I noticed that our families were sitting right next to each other, but they didn't even know one another! How fun! I sat between BestFriend and another good friend (who had been my first closest friend at the school). The ceremony wasn't too long (just under 2 hours), but I found it difficult to pay attention. This was the big formal ceremony where our degrees were officially conferred, but ... it wasn't the meaningful ceremony. I didn't flip my tassel right away because I was expecting them to tell us to do that at some point after our degrees were conferred. (They didn't.) Oops. :-)

After the ceremony, my family took many pictures of me outside the music school. Then we headed out for a fancy-schmancy dinner at a ritzy place overlooking much of the city. (Gorgeous, gorgeous view!) At the restaurant, my aunt and uncle presented me with graduation gifts. I'm currently wearing a T-shirt they gave me which reads, "DANGER: Educated Woman Inside." Great, huh? :-)

After I dropped my family off at the hotel, I returned to campus. I checked in with my boss to ask him a question, and he told me that I didn't have to check in later for tha RA curfew. (Sweet!!!) So I spent 20 minutes deciding what to wear before I headed over to a party at a friend's house. After 20 minutes of being there, I decided to get ready to leave because I didn't really know many people. I thought it was going to be a party for the music kids, but there weren't many there. Just as I was gathering my belongings, a friend of mine arrived. I ended up staying over another hour, chatting with this friend. (He's going to be performing in Nashville this summer and possibly longer ... so ... a roadtrip might be in the works! I talked with another classmate on Saturday, and he was up for a roadtrip ... so we'll see!) Then BestFriend and her fiance arrived, so I hung out with them too before I went back to campus.
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On Saturday, I got up early to get ready for the music school ceremony. It was at this ceremony that my friends and I would walk across the stage to receive our diplomas. Our call time was 45 minutes before the ceremony was to begin, and we spent that time taking pictures and reminiscing. BestFriend presented me with a graduation gift, which is probably the gift I will treasure most: She had gone around to my friends, residents, and professors reciting this speech, "Hi, I'm Estrella's close friend, and I'm compiling a memory book for her. Will you please take a moment to write something for her in here?" She had included pictures and pages from many, many people who have meant so much to me during my time at MySchool. Wow. Very, very special.

[Insert long pause in writing process here as I helped my mom unload and unpack groceries from the store.]

After the music ed kids took our first and last class picture together, it was time.

*Cue Pomp and Curcumstance*

We processed into the Union Ballroom and took our seats at the front. When our names were called, we were to walk onto the stage. Before receiving the diploma [diploma case, because we didn't actually receive our diplomas; those will be mailed to us], each person was directed to stand at the front of the stage while his/her faculty adviser read a brief biography of the graduate. Then the graduate would shake the Dean's hand before receiving the diploma.

When it was our row's turn to line up at the foot of the stage, I got the worst butterflies in my stomach. I was SO nervous. For what reason? I have no idea! It felt like major stage fright. I wasn't afraid really ~ I had no fears about messing up or falling off the stage or anything like that. I didn't know why my nerves were so intense!

Then my name was called, and I walked on the stage in front of my peers and our families. My department chair read the biography I had submitted. He had eliminated certain things without telling me, and I was disappointed that he didn't mention FamousConductor under whose direction I sang for 3 years (not associated with MySchool) and he didn't say the name of the Director of Program at Rural School, and the person is the reason I'm going there. But ... department chair did present me with the certificate for the award I earned from the state association for one of my accomplishments. (The award had first been announced at the Senior Music Ed dinner two weeks ago, but it wasn't listed in the ceremony's program as other awards were.) I proudly shook the Dean's hand, accepted the diploma case and the framed certificate, and walked offstage. I was distracted by my uncle taking a picture of me, and didn't notice what happened next. (Others told me later.) Apparently, the audience spontaneously began clapping for me, even though the Dean had directed them to hold all applause for the graduates until the end. The Dean had to motion them to stop so that he could announce the next graduate. I can't believe I didn't notice this at all! How cool! :-) (My family said they hadn't started the applause, so I wonder who did!)

Through this ceremony, I learned so much about my fellow classmates as their biographies were read. Some of them were very amusing while others were extremely impressive. :-) After I had walked across the stage, I turned my class ring around because it's supposed to face in while you're a student and face out after you graduate. (Nearer to your heart as you continue your studies at MySchool, to remind you of where you belong, and facing out after you've graduated so that others know where you've been.)

After the ceremony, there was a reception in the music school in our honor. I hugged friends and professors, took pictures, and said goodbyes. I'm grateful that two friends are getting married this summer, so I didn't have to say real goodbyes without knowing when I'll see people again.

There is more to write ... but this entry is getting rather long as is ... so I'll write more later. :-)