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UCLA Commencement 2003
Geography Department. Saturday 14 June.
Graduation at last, part II... where you actually walk up to the podium rather than just standing as a group...
25 Geography and 25 Geography and Environmental Studies students graduated this year... supposedly last year was 40 Geography majors alone (!)...
Unlike Letters and Science (L&S) which was pretty structured and well organized, Geography was much more casual. Two graduate student speakers, one undergraduate student speaker, plus introductions, Professor Gilispie as the faculty speaker, and announcement of PhD's, candiate PhD's, Masters', and the undergrads...
Alicia made it on time, Erik made it as well... and Barry just barely squeezed in before my name was called to walk up to the stage; that's what I call impressive timing!
Gabe, Bob, Justin, Gina, Rebecca, Mayuko, Lisa, and a bunch of other fellow students that I knew graduated this year. It's pretty crazy when you recognize half the names called at a graduation, even though I readily admit that I didn't make as many friends and acquaintainces as I should have in the department, as I was literally too busy trying to graduate to socialize very much...
Plenty of pictures including ones with Professor Shin and Professor Agnew... some wandering around, then lunch with the family, Erik, and Alicia at Curry House on Sawtelle. Quite yummy!
We then split up... Alicia and I wandered over after the Engineering graduation to look for some of her friends and my friend Alex, who graduated as a CS major; unfortunately we never did find Alex. =(
Dinner was at Art Sushi* on Sawtelle with my family, Alicia, and mom's friend Linda Wong and her family. Gina and I had our first adult meeting with Linda Wong-- I don't think either of us recognized her-- as well as Mackenzie and Mrs. Wong, Linda Wong's mother. Again it was great to have so many people visit me for my graduation! Dinner itself went well, although we had a slight address screw-up.
The party that night was hosted by Pearl's friend Jen. Unfortuantely people there weren't partying to get drunk and some of my friends were planning to get drunk, so that didn't go over very well. =(
Erik, Jason, Barry, Bernier, Alicia, and Alice did make it over for the duration forwhich we were allowed, at least... got to see Pearl again (for the fourth time in a month? WOW! I'm usually lucky to see Pearl four times a YEAR!), and saw Amy again for the first time in a year. Turns out Amy drove all night to Los Angeles for graduations, arriving Saturday at 7am, then drove back home Sunday night; that's very impressive in its insanity!
Pearl and her friends did some weird things to those who were uninitiated to the existing circle of friends.... Singing a 7 minute long song from American Pie (evidently a high school thing), PLENTY of food (yum!), the fact that they had parents over before the friends headed over en masse (weird!), but basically everyone seemed to know each other, and my friends and I were the outsiders (as expected). No what's up as greetings, not too much interaction-- admittedly Barry was already quite buzzed when he entered, heh heh-- too much staring at Mario Kart...
It was great if you were integrated into Pearl and Jen's social circle. As it was, I was a little lost and more than a little split as I tried to talk to all my friends as well as everyone else! No slight intended, next time we'll work on getting to know each other rather than wandering around in an alcohol-induced haze!
Oh, yes. GO BRUINS!
