Day 173: Saturday, May 2 - Pomp and Circumstance

When I was in high school I promised myself I would not go into Elementary Education. Most, and notice I say most and not all, girls at BYU goes into ElEd so they can get married and have babies (and I still believe that no matter what any of you say). I took a few accounting classes at Green River Community College when I was in high school doing running start and declared myself an accounting major. After the first semester I decided that wasn't the major for me, and switched to Computer Science, since I loved working on computers. The class was interesting, I was good at it, and I liked being one of the only girls there. The entire semester I had this nagging feeling - I felt strongly that I should major in Elementary Education. That was so not what I wanted to hear! I kept putting it off until one day I just gave in, and here I am graduating with a master's degree in the very subject I despised since high school. I guess the only reason I am here now is that I love my job and know it was what I was meant to do! Graduation was one of the coolest experiences I have yet to do and I am so glad I decided to take the long ride down to SUU to be a part of it.

The first ceremony was pretty long and boring, with SUU statistics and a girl that kept like, totally giggling like, throughout her entire speech. President Monson, however, was fabulous as usual. I am so glad we accidentally cut in the procession line because we were first in line and my friends and I sat front row center, not even 15 feet from the prophet, right next to President Monson's personal bodyguard! Here is and I between the two ceremonies.

The actual walking ceremony was again long, because that is just how graduations are. Once again we sat in the front row, no President Monson though, and had hilarious people behind us making the ceremony more interesting. Getting a master's degree is different than a bachelor's because you are hooded along with receiving your diploma holder. It also makes the ceremony longer, and there were 240 master's graduates. Getting hooded was so cool! (And here I am using a word I that I hate in blogs.) I must say, I felt pretty privileged walking around with my hood over my cap and gown.

And we can't forget the shoes! I win for the coolest shoes there - the photographer even said so.