Graduation Photographs

The day that I thought would never come finally arrived. Graduation. A day that, in fact, I was dreading. Endless posing for photographs, two hours of clapping for 200 people I had never seen before all rounded up with a bland speech of thank yous from the vice-chancellor-whoever.

I was pleasantly surprised. The relief of walking across the stage at the right time to the correct name without falling over really was quite something. The ceremony itself was personal and even entertaining at parts, particularly when a certain Mike O'Brian received his degree under the name Siobhan O'Donnell. Even more surprising was the number of people I slowly realized that I had formed friendships with over the past 3 years in between the excessive drinking - actually - more likely during it. It was a genuine pleasure to share this celebratory moment with so many special people.

So, all in all, although the photographs were still tedious, I can safely say that they the expressions that will remain captured in them forever were not fake smiles of tedium. They will always represent the surprise, relief and pleasure of that memorable day.