PhD Graduation Week Day 3 – The Day of Graduation!
Because it was going to be a very busy day, I got up early and went out to breakfast and then it was back to the hotel to get ready for the drive to Hattiesburg for Graduation. It takes about 1.5ish hours from Gulfport to Hattiesburg and it was nice and rainy with lots of humidify. Lots of hills and fog on the drive too, so that was surprising. I made good time and did not get lost, and since I was early and had nothing to do, and the Graduate check-in area was not ready for students, I walked around campus and took some photos. This was the first time I have been to Hattiesburg and its a nice little campus. At one point I walked past the library and it had a Starbucks sign, really, I find them everywhere! I eventual made my way back to the Payne Center where the PhD students were suppose gather to get their PhD hoods, which your department puts on you during the ceremony. So I got the PhD hood and had a few professional photos taken despite the hair I had spent 30 minutes on went flat and frizzy. Then we sat in our places and waited for the ceremony to start. Two other IDV (International Development) students Tom and Leo were also participating in graduation, so there were just the 3 of us PhD students and our advisor Dr. St. Marie representing the IDV, plus Dr. St. Marie’s cool wife Amanda. Then each PhD student went onto the stage, got their photo taken along the way, and have their name and dissertation title read out loud, which was cool, as your Advisor puts the PhD hood on you. Then you get a Diploma cover and a letter opener from the school and you sit down again. Its over so fast! I was just hoping that I would not trip or throw-up as I walked across the stage and happy to say that I did neither. My friends Madeline and Brian were in the audience cheering me on, but sadly my Mom and Sister were not healthy enough to travel to see me graduate (friends and family were able to livestream the event online and took the photos of graduation from their computers). Since graduation did not start until 6pm, it was a long rainy drive back to Gulfport after the ceremony was over. Everything was closed in Gulfport, as it was past 9pm, and so it was off to the Waffle House! The Waffle House is always open – 24/7! Graduation was fun and I am glad that I was able to attend, which due to the pandemic and the weather was never guaranteed.
