<p>Maybe it’s just because I make it a point to listen to every Obama speech I can get my hands on, I felt like I had heard almost all of that speech before-- like he was giving the same political speech he always gives on a special day that is supposed to be about celebrating the graduates. While in parts of it he did relate what he was saying to the graduates, it felt like the connections were just made as an afterthought until he got towards the end. After going on a full ten minutes without mentioning anything remotely relevant to the students I felt myself thinking, “…and?” But I haven’t heard very many commencement speeches, so maybe they are always like this-- but then I wonder why we even do it.</p>
<p>^You do it because of tradition. There are 100s of undergraduate commencement speeches every year. It’s impossible to say something unique.</p>
<p>The rains stopped by 9:00 and the weather couldn’t have been better.
The sight of 80 or 90,000 people in the Big House, with 8,000 or so graduating students on the field was very moving (to a parent).
A complex event was extremely well run by the University and Secret Service.
Obama’s speech was one of the better ones I’ve heard. </p>
<p>All in all, a phenomimal way to wrap up four years. Of course, since my son is staying for a Masters, nothing is really ending!</p>