<p>One downside I haven't seen mentioned here on CC - is the tradition of having the graduation ceremony outside - rain or shine.</p>
<p>Very, very rainy today in Rochester, I am sure the guests and guests of honor were bummed.</p>
<p>Too bad there is not an alternative indoor venue as a back up.</p>
<p>^^^Same in 2006. Part of the Rochester experience :-)</p>
<p>Well, at least it wasn’t snowing. Having grown up in central new york, I remember snow on Mother’s Day in the past. I’m surprised they dont have it indoors as well.</p>
<p>It poured at my D’s outdoor HS graduation. H and I had brought our own chairs, blankets and umbrellas so we were great. I felt badly for people who hadn’t thought ahead.</p>
<p>What a shame. I thought about Rochester today as the forecast did not sound good. We were so lucky last year-we had a truly glorious day. Older daughter’s graduation at another university was so much more festive inside giant field house with slide show for parents and guests to view in advance of the graduates entering and giant balloon drop at the end.</p>
<p>We were there today. What really blew my mind were the people who did not dress for the weather. Men in suits, women in sandals and summer dresses–they had to be miserable!!</p>
<p>We had ponchos and were ready, and we stayed dry.</p>
<p>Congrats, MADad. </p>
<p>I doubt there’s a space on campus that could hold 1,000+ graduates plus family. You’d need a hockey or basketball arena. Most schools that have those are so large they still have to hold graduation outdoors. </p>
<p>One of my kids went to a very large school. There were two ceremonies, the all school held outside rain or shine and the individual college, which in our case was in an arena. With a class smaller than UR’s, the arena seating was completely full with family and nearly the entire floor was used to seat graduates.</p>
<p>Actually in our family’s case, the school with the large field house is Brandeis University which is smaller than Rochester overall enrollment and graduating class. They just have larger gym/field house facility. I did look at the graduation pictures on the website. It still looked festive and celebratory, rain notwithstanding.</p>
<p>My wife and I were there too. (PM me if you want a pic of the sea of umbrellas in front of the speaker’s podium) </p>
<p>The only people who complained were the out-of-towners like us. Rochesterians are way too stoic to let a little rain, wind and cold slow them down. There were dozens of visitors at the Lilac Festival in Highland Park! </p>
<p>The rest of the day’s activities were held indoors. The Hakim School grads convened in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, which is one of the most beautiful and comfortable concert halls in the country . </p>
<p>On balance, a great day!</p>
<p>And congratulations to you, brainsprain, and to all other parents of graduates.</p>
<p>We were there as well, and it was miserable! I wouldn’t really have minded the rain, but did it have to be that COLD? It was in the low 40’s! </p>
<p>We got there early, got a great seat on the main aisle so we could see her walk, waited almost 2 hours in the cold & rain - and she came down another aisle! Didn’t see, didn’t hear, just miserable!</p>
<p>But the departmental graduation was wonderful and she is now a graduate. All in all, a good weekend.</p>
<p>This will probably be my last post on CC, as we are done with the college experience for our two children. It’s been an interesting time, and I want to extend my gratitude, warmest wishes and good luck to the other anonomous parents who have been so thoughtful and helpful over the years. </p>
<p>As my grandfather used to say: May the roof above us never fall in, and may the friends gathered below it never fall out.</p>
<p>Congratulations to you and your children, brainsprain. It was nice getting to “know” you!</p>
<p>Congratulations to all the 2011 graduates and their parents. Good luck with your next adventures.</p>
<p>We sat through ds1’s graduation in the cold two years ago and this year it was cold AND rainy. Ds2 will be in the Take 5 program but chose to walk with his 2011 senior year friends. He called this year his 'pseudo’graduation.</p>
<p>From what a prof told me, all the speakers but one shortened their speeches and President Seligman skipped a step or two in the program just so everyone could go get warm. There was a contingency plan if there was to be inclement weather. However, in Rochester, that meant thunderstorms, tornadoes, etc. Snow and rain did not count. Sitting in the row in front of us was a family from Hawaii! They brought the heaviest coats they have and it looked barely enough.</p>
<p>Here’s looking forward to a warm sunny commercement weather next year.</p>
<p>Thanks for the sunny wishes for next year, we are also hoping for better weather for our daughter’s graduation!</p>