<p>Best wishes as you join the 'real world'.</p>
<p>Congratulations!!!</p>
<p>I felt soooo cheated!!</p>
<p>We were embarking on a heat wave in NYC this weekend, and I said "so what, I am going to be in Hanover at it will be about 10 degrees cooler." It was over 90 degrees in Hanover but the show still went on as thousands of people convered on Hanover for Commencement 2008.</p>
<p>to the class of 2009 I leave you this advice..</p>
<p>If your family has not booked a hotel yet, everything is probably full for next year. While it is what it is, just book some space in the dorms. the cost is $40 a night, where you have a clean bed, towels, wash cloths, soap etc. Commencement housing will take special request (needing to be wheelchair assessible, no steps, etc). You pull in you park your car (which is a nightmare) and you are set. I spoke to the family of a couple of chicky's friends who were based 40 to 50 miles out of Hanover and were driving in for the festivities. As I said, it is what it is, and it is only 2 nights (you are not on vacation) but staying in the dorms was well worth not having the rest of the aggrevation. Downside: no AC.</p>
<p>The Canoe Club books up in january so there will be no getting a reservation during commencement week.</p>
<p>If you are going to mollies, the later the better. We got there about 9:15 got seated, served quickly and it was great. Around 6/7 pm it was a nightmare.</p>
<p>Yes, remember those happy days when we dropped you off on campus and tried to buy out the Coop and traditionally trendy? Yes, we will do it again now that you are leaving so the stores literally do get you coming and going.</p>
<p>You get there friday and you see nothing but tents along frat row and in front of all of the greek houses, as they will be hosting an event for their graduating members and families.</p>
<p>Saturday morning graduation rehersal is at 8:45. Chicky said suprisingly a large amount of the class showed up. </p>
<p>After the rehersal there is class day at BEMA. You tell your family "we are going over to the BEMA for the class day celebrations" and they respond, "the what" and they want to know exactly what the BEMA is so you break it down for them ; Big Empty Meeting Area. Trying to be cute and going to BEMA should not be used in the same sentence (wear comfortable shoes) and you will be sitting on the ground if you don't get there early or if you don't bring those portable filing chairs in the sack that you have stashed in your trunk. Yes, it is hot. After the class day ceremonies, the senior class walks over to Dartmouth Hall for the senior picture (you walk over too if you ever want to find your kid). Again, BEMA and cute do not go together when you are walking over rocks and gravel down hill inn the heat.</p>
<p>Have lunch, go to the Coop. Then take in to the department major reception, Try to swing by the greek house to their reception and go to the function that the senior society is giving because Chicky has to pick up her cane (all of the canes are hand carved and the head of each cane signifies which society that person is a member of. Her big sister (2x) they are in the same sorority and she tapped her for the senior society suprises them and comes and is there at the reception. It is amazing how many alums come back for graduation weekend. Chicky tells me that she has to be back here at 7:30 sunday morning because they have breakfast and they all carve each others cane.</p>
<p>Word to the wise...If you are within driving distance, go up a couple of weeks before graduation and start taking some of their stuff home (Yes, they have accumulated a lot of stuff!!)</p>
<p>Swing by the Gala, have dinner, and then Chicky runs out because the senior class is meeting at 11:00 pm for some tradition. You catch whatever breeze is blowing and then retire for the night.</p>
<p>Chicky told me that you can pay someone to reserve seats for you at the ceremony and the going rate was ~ $50. She told me that we should pay more so she blitzed out that she was paying more (love how your child sets no limits when it comes to money that is not theirs). No takers</p>
<p>By sunday morning, I hate to say it but you are familied out and the heat is really no fun so it is a welcome relief to walk down to The Green at 5:30am to scout out some seats for you and the family. You get there and you see that there are quite a few other families who have sent out representatives to do the same thing. You will have new friends at this hour of the morning and everyone is really nice despite the fact that they are sleep deprived Ended up with seats on the 5th row, right hand side of the green right behind the grad students (who pass you in the processional so you are able to see and hear everything). Bring paper towel to wipe the dew, rain and other stuff of your chairs (if you have tape, making tape, yellow tape, duck tape, you can cord off you set of seats). The nice people who were out there gave me some tape. </p>
<p>By 8 am it really starts to get packed as people try to find seats. It also starts to get hot, if you look up in the Baker tower, you can see the trumpeteers.</p>
<p>Remember that graduation takes place on The Green rain or shine and a small folding umbrella is your friend as you can also use it to keep some of the beaming sun off of you (until the usher tell all of the people in the front that they have to take down their umbrellas because the people in the back cannot see.</p>
<p>Use the facilities at the Hanover Inn.</p>
<p>A little after 9:30 the processional is beginning. They you start to hear Entry of the Gladiators and everyone looks around you puzzled and saying "why are they playing circus music?" In the back of your mind you are saying to yourself "Oh yeah, the show is about to begin."</p>
<p>Considering the fact that they call the name of **Every Single Graduate ** it really does do by quicky. They confrer all of the graduate and professional degrees first follewed by the Honorary degrees. The speeches were nice and there were some funny moments.</p>
<p>Then the moment we all are waiting for the conferring and the announcing of the undergrads. 989 students received degrees today. You start looking for all the kids you know and some of the CC parents. Did not get to see Isaac but did see his son get his degree. Could not find Ohmadre, but did see her daughter receive her degree . Chicky's turn comes; with Kente, shades and cane she receives her degree, raises her cane and walks down the steps (my heart is full and I can't stop the tears).</p>
<p>After the ceremony, I call Chicky and then someone calls me. It is Ohmadre !!I can't believe that after 4 years we are finally meeting IRL (she is just as amazing in person as she is on CC). Congrats to her wonderful D as she begins her new adventure!!</p>
<p>Then there are pictures, hugs and tears and the class of 2008 must move out of the way and foray out into the real world. Pick up Chicky's stuff, round up the troops to begin the road trip back home. Chicky is hanging out one last night with the friends and is flying back home tomorrow before her and the crew set off to Cabo for a week.</p>
<p>To the class of 2009, today begins your year and I hope that you have an amazing time.</p>
<p>Sybbie,
Thanks so much for the wonderful recap. I'll save it for when I need it in a couple of years. Thanks for all your wonderful advice and best of luck to your D and Big Congratulations to you both!</p>
<p>Sybbie,very nice recap indeed. The Dartmouth family on CC has certainly benefited from your inputs through the years and so we hope that you will continue coming here to CC despite your D already graduated.</p>
<p>Congratulations!!!!</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>No one ever mentioned that the degree, which the student actually receives when they go on stage (there is a tube to put it in under each student's seat) is totally written in Latin!</p>
<p>
[quote]
She told me that we should pay more...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Hahahahahaha</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the great recap. As a father of a 12, we are just embarking on this great new journey. The dorm thing sounds like a great idea as you really want to be close by. I will remember to bring the tape and umbrella.We viewed the Baker and D Inn cams and were also able to here the ceremony streamed. The glee club sounded great. For now its the monthly tuiton through Sallie Mae, completing the health insurance forms, getting the DOC form completed, and conjecturing on dorm and roommate. Now its time to start concentrating on number 2 who will be a junior. She wants to stay in CA and is looking at U of San Diego.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your daughter, Sybbie!! Please wish her good luck from all of us.</p>
<p>ITS 4 AM AND CANT SLEEP ..HES MY RECAP OF THE AMAZING WEEKEND</p>
<p>lets start with the big error, which sybbie touched on, go up earlier and take
stuff home..there is so much going on and you have so little time and we wasted so much of the weekend packing..there was a ups truck in front
of hardware store with tent set up to ship things home</p>
<p>arrived from florida thurs..white river junction comfort suites..wonderful
hotel, clean, nice staff..make sure its the suites (there is a comfort inn also, not as new)
the other hotel we like is the marriott courtyard by hanover/lebanon newest
and cleanest....of course they all charged mid 200s per room paid in advance
almost 1 year in advance!!
needed a dress down restaurant ..love AJs in white river ..thick prime rib(share one and youll still have left overs) small but great salad and soup bar..just a nice rustic place
..met s there for our reunion with uncle and aunt..havent seen s in 5 months
he looked well and excited..</p>
<p>friday gloomy rainy still moderate temps went to stowe,vt and ben and jerrys
factory tour...weather made it not so pleasant..</p>
<p>friday nite pres house tour and garden cocktail hour,,,highlight of weekend
however rainy drizzly made everyone guessing if they were gonna move it
inside auditorium as schedule indicated..had tape hotline but not helpful
ended up clearing in time and was a delightful affair ..but get there early
cause line was a mile deep to shake hands with pres and wife..
after had reservations at jesses..(which they accepted april 1)..jesses
is very nice but variable success with the quality of their food</p>
<p>(every chance running back to pack some more)..</p>
<p>sat..did some shopping main street and went to mollies at 1130 at opening
no problem getting in with no reservation...mollies great bread!!..good
food ..grandparents loved it..</p>
<p>130 phi beta kappa (top 10%) of class wow..major highlight of weekend
indoors spaulding auditorium...students wore business attire..nice warm
words from three honorary phi beta kappas connected to college..students
walk up and sign a book to become members..talk about kvelling (jewish
word.. meaning heart filled with joy!!)</p>
<p>more packing....</p>
<p>630 frat row dinners as sybbie mentioned (i cant believe we missed again..destined to be email buddies) several tents in front of frat/sor houses<br>
my s in charge of this dinner and had schools dining service provide
steak,chicken etc beautifully served with real china and linen
a few weeks before i asked him why he chose to volunteer and take
on this huge task during this hectic weekend ..he said he felt he just
wanted to do one last thing for his frat which meant so much to him
during his dartmouth stay
9pm acapella group in front of collis ..ive always enjoyed
these wonderful groups during my visits to dartmouth...however a
cold damp nite detracted from this evening entertainment</p>
<p>over the weekend we did miss alot ..econ and psych bbqs just no time
as sybbie mentioned why would we think our little geniuses would have
packed more before the weekend?</p>
<p>sunday THE HEAT WAVE...THE MUCH ANTICIPATED HEAT WAVE HITS
HANOVER..we had some family leave 7am to hold seats..got good seats
but when the heat came the best seats were under trees on edges of
the Big Green...luckily spaulding had 2 theaters open with remote viewing
without this it would have been a nightmare..people were baking out there
i went in for an hour..out for an hour and ran out as it got closer to sons name ended about 1230..dont know how the kids sat there in those black
robes..they had water stations everywhere..Both val speeches great(third
one opted not to speak)..after met all the buddies in front of dartmouth
hall for group shots...</p>
<p>our after grad party was great...4 families chipped in(27 people) and we
took a small banquet room at courtyard marriott for a beautiful lunch
it was well served and we all had a chance to mingle and say goodbye
to the parents of my s best friends..</p>
<p>that nite packed some more just a slice of pizza at ramutos at 9pm
with one last walk down a now quiet main steet...whew...</p>
<p>flew home next morning...thank you dartmouth for an amazing 4 years..
for a great education ..for a job!!.. and lifelong friends for my son..</p>
<p>i sit quietly at my computer .. now 5 am soon to go to work..
one last word...</p>
<p>college confidential has been the reason we were able to navigate this
confusing college experience which began soph year of high school..it has been an email family..feel free to ask any question..i hope your sons and daughters share in this once in a lifetime amazing journey</p>
<pre><code> mitch (isacc)
</code></pre>
<p>Blue- so kind of you to wish the '08's well. You are going to enjoy commencement!!! (Funny you should mention the 'real world'. One of the points that President Wright made in his address was that, in many ways that really count, Dartmouth is the real world, as it should be. At any rate, I hope they ever again find this kind of a community - but I am excited to see them venture forward into what I have also always referred to as the 'real world').</p>
<p>Isacc and Sybbie pretty much described it - our experience was a variation on the theme, except, I am so sorry Sybbie, our dorm did have AC and was quite comfortable.</p>
<p>I am sitting here, very very sunburned, with all these wonderful images of the three -day commencement event playing in my head. It was so great to see all the wonderful '08s, to meet faculty and administrators and others who have been important to my daughter, to re-acquaint with old friends and to meet new friends. A major highlight in that department was finally meeting Sybbie IRL- ahhh, so very very glad that worked out. It will come to no surprise to anyone on this board that Sybbie IRL is as warm and wonderful as you all know her to be. Naturally, her daughter is absolutely the same.</p>
<p>So, to any '08s reading this - you are amazing and best wishes to you all. To any '11s, 10's, 09's - you are amazing and commencement is an exciting cap to a wonderful 4 years. To any '12s reading this - I am terrifically excited for you - you have so much to look forward to!! Dartmouth, and the students she shared the experience with, gave my daughter more than I could have wanted for her and the past 4 years were thoroughly enjoyable for her parents as well!!!!</p>
<p>Oh Sybbie, Ohmadre and Isaac - congrats, congrats!
Reservations are up on June 16th for next year I think. I can't wait.</p>
<p>Isaac & Ohmadre,</p>
<p>I am glad that you both checked in. I hope that you enjoy these couple of days with your kidlets before they take off for their real world (Ohmadre, I still think we should take your D's passport, because it is too farrrrr :) ). We are all now empty nesters so wha's next?</p>
<p>Forgot one important note (yes, Blue, Cangel & Jen this is for you):</p>
<p>Hanover True Value (the same people who do storage over the summer/leave terms) will come to the dorms pick up your packages (including trunks) and will ship them UPS home for you. The cost is $5 per piece + the UPS charge.</p>
<p>Sybbie - </p>
<p>What you don't know about the ins and out of Hanover life would fit in the palm of my hand! (That last tidbit about True Value is handy knowledge). I have to :) at your passport commment. But, I am actually increasingly excited for her. </p>
<p>I tend to fill the empty nest with TONS of activities, so that is one of my prongs of attack. Another one is to save $ so I can occasionally visit D, wherever that may be, which looks to be a moving target.</p>
<p>Isacc - </p>
<p>Congrats to you, and to your son and his new job! What an amazing 4 years we have all just enjoyed. I am sure our children will continue lives that fascinate us and energize us.</p>
<p>Cangel -</p>
<p>Thank you also for your kind words. You ARE going to enjoy commencement as much as you anticipate - hope you and your daughter enjoy everything about this last year.</p>
<p>I'm crying . . . . .</p>