<p>Congrats to your S…and you! It feels great to have concrete plans doesn’t it?
I worry too about what S2 will do at the end of July when his internship ends but am trying hard to focus on the fact that he actually got the internship (starts Monday) and that’s a step in the right direction. </p>
<p>My neighbor’s S (graduated from college in spring 2011) took a job in S. Korea teaching English at a high school for girls for the current school year. He did well and liked it so much that he applied and was offered a job at a university teaching English for the coming school year. He also has a Korean gf now. He majored in Business/Econ or something like that. His parents never saw this coming!</p>
<p>Consolation, that’s so terrific! You’ll have to go visit him, of course. Packmom, I love your story. You can stop pinching yourself, because clearly it’s true. He’s off to a great start.</p>
<p>S’s graduation is tomorrow. It’s so great to see him and begin the celebration. Today we’ll celebrate with a little packing.</p>
<p>Congrats Packmom! It is so wonderful to hear how successfully S2 has done. And wishing your oldest my very best wishes as well, and to keep him safe.</p>
<p>My DS celebrated his birthday Weds by spending all day in the library studying for his two BIG (and very last) finals yesterday. Last night was a big celebratory night for him, which from what I gather will be continuing tonight as other friends finish up exams today. Exciting times for our kids!</p>
<p>I’ve just realized that this new summer job means that S will be home for about 10 days before leaving for a year! That’s going to be interesting, to say the least. Lots to organize in very little time.</p>
<p>I think I’m finally finished shopping for graduation weekend. I bought more than I need, so I’ll probably spend this weekend trying things on at home and deciding what I’m keeping and what I’m returning. We leave a week from today for next weekend’s celebration.</p>
<p>I actually got a Mother’s Day card today from my son. He’s notorious for either forgetting altogether or remembering so late that the card arrives days late. This happens with birthdays as well. Maybe now that he’s a college graduate, he’s planning better. I guess we’ll find out next month with Father’s Day and my birthday.</p>
<p>Yes, mamabear, I think we do have kids graduating from the same school. My S’ school-specific events are on Sat. I keep checking the weather for next weekend, but it’s probably too far in advance to really trust the forecast yet.</p>
<p>S2 commenced last weekend, undergrad Friday and Master’s Sunday. It is just starting to sink in that, unlike S1 who is a grad student, S2 will not be able to come home for the occasional long weekend or minor holiday. :(</p>
<p>Graduation was 2 weekends ago and was great. We went for the weekend, stayed at a hotel with 2 waterslides, went to a baseball game, had lunch prior to graduation with the grandparents. The actual graduation was too long. It was for the school of sciences (she is math) and they said every name including those who got PH.D.'s and masters. It took them one hour forty minutes to read all the names for masters and undergrad. It would not have been so bad if psychology wasn’t included in the School of Science, but that alone was about 400 grads. But D1 had a great time. She and her “math mob” friends decorated their caps to spell out “I <3 math” but the “I” was the square root of -1 (an imaginary number). She was the “t” which is the first letter of our last name. They also had something blinking on top so they looked great. The next weekend we had a party in our backyard. Which was fun but exhausting.</p>
<p>same here, aliceinw. My son graduates a week from tomorrow; I’ll be flying out to Chicago on Thursday. He called me at 5 pm yesterday to let me know that he had handed in his last paper, and was officially done with all his coursework. Four years of college, finished. A little difficult to believe for both of us; when I think of his high school graduation, it doesn’t really seem that long ago to me.</p>
<p>Our graduation was two weeks ago and the weekend weather was great but very hot. Family came in on Friday and went to dinner with S. Saturday was an honors ceremony early then relaxing until our evening get together at one of the local brew pubs. The main ceremony Sunday was again very hot but luckily the grandmothers could watch from the air conditioned theatre. Everyone else was in the sun. The speaker was reasonably quick, if only the school president could have been. The individual college conferral of diplomas wan thankfully inside. Our Sunday night dinner was in a restaurant overlooking downtown Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>S2’s was also 2 weekends ago. We had a good time. S1 and his gf also joined us for the weekend, so it was nice being altogether. All the planning I had done (hotels, restaurant choices) was well received. In fact, S2 gave me a big hug after his celebration dinner, which is something he never does. The ceremonies themselves (one on Sat for just the college of arts and sciences, one on Sun for the entire university) were just long enough. At the Sat ceremony, they called all the graduates (including master’s & Ph D) and we had to wait until the last row to hear S’ name (they sat by department).</p>
<p>Even though S2 had actually graduated in Dec & felt that the graduation hoopla didn’t apply to him, I think he was glad he actually participated. He got to be the center of attention and got recognized for all his efforts.</p>
<p>D2’s commencement festivities were last weekend - very, very hot and very, very long under the tent but a nice ceremony. Does no one play “Pomp and Circumstance” any more? Her class processed in to the strains of the “St Anthony Chorale,” which I really like, but it just felt wrong. (I should have been prepared: her older brother’s procession was to an indie rock group.)</p>
<p>They did read each individual name, and the titles of every graduate’s senior project(s) were included in the program. That made for some fascinating reading - they studied everything from the Zombie Apocalypse to genetic mutation to the stock market to music performance to…</p>
<p>Her school also offers the option of attending a post-ceremony barbecue picnic on the grounds of an old estate on campus overlooking the Hudson River, with live music, activities for the younger siblings, and fireworks just after sunset. That was a really wonderful way to end the day.</p>
<p>At S2’s graduation, they played Pomp & Circumstance. Actually, I was surprised it was still used. It wasn’t played at S1’s graduation from a different school.</p>
<p>graduation was a week ago…campus was gorgeous for the ceremony. s’s school does not have speakers and frankly the president could have put a bit more time and energy into his speech, uninspiring and a tad political. and not my politics then they actually called my s by the wrong first name. he was a bit peeved. awkward.</p>
<p>but…we had an amazing lunch at a professor’s home, just delightful, followed by an evening with his fav professor who made a little toast in s’s honor. this prof was a true mentor and all around great human being so this just made the whole day. </p>
<p>next day we drove to s’s new town to help him settle into his new apartment, we explored the area visited a beatiful state park, tried out some wonderful restaurants adn visited couple of universities for my third, S2. S1 will start working at a dream job this coming Monday. beyond grateful for such good fortune.</p>
<p>They played Pomp and Circumstance at S2’s grad. a few weeks ago. His major was part of the College of Human Ecology. There was no speaker. It took two hours to call all the names. Of course S2’s dept. was the last to be called.</p>
then they actually called my s by the wrong first name. he was a bit peeved. awkward.</p>