Graduation

As I type this, you're probably all asleep or getting that way (Nearly 6PM here so nearly 11PM there). So, by the time you've all read this, it'll be the 14th July - and a very special day for me (and some others too - Danielle!) - my Graduation. Okay, so the chances of me making it to the ceremony are looking pretty slim given that i'm not typing this at the airport or on a plane and i'm not Superman (again, i'm working on it but one thing at a time, eh?). Thus, i'm graduating "in absentia" which means i (unfortunately) miss out on the joy of dressing up in gowns resembling the Quidditch robes of the Harry Potter Films - and, of course, the obligatory floppy hat. On the plus side, i get to miss out on an incredibly boring speech - which is probably just going to be a photocopy of an old speech. So, much as i would have liked to prance around in a cloak (hey, I do as much as the next person), i'm not too sore about missing the whole affair - apart from perhaps the compulsory going-out-to-get-completely-ratted that would have followed. And, with a bit of luck, the university will remember to send my certificate back home for me.

A major decision for me (and, again, others) in the run up to Graduation was whether to graduate from the "old" University of Manchester or from the new University of Manchester (the one that's a product of the merger with UMIST). Is it better to be remember as the last of the old or the first of the new? The old university had a great reputation in the UK - and to some extent the larger world - as some major advances happened here. Rutherford did a considerable chunk of work at Manchester that led to his model of the atom. The first "computer" was developed and built in a room at Manchester. However, on the flip side of the things, the new university housing both Manchester and UMIST, and with considerably more resources at hand can really make a mark on the world stage - and so has potential for an even better reputation. In the end, i chose to be the first of the new. At least i can say i'm setting a trend!