A Celebration
Today was my official graduation day from university. I went to the department of History pre-convocation party, but I did not go to the actual ceremony. Like I said in my previous blog, I have no desire to sit there for 3-4 hours and listen to speeches just to walk across the stage and be handed a fake diploma. Most of my friends felt the same way, but for many of them, their families made them go. Luckily for me, my parents didn't care. They care that I'm finished school, but that's true whether I put a funny hat on and shake the dean's hand, or not. My dad didn't even want to have our own celebration, as today also happens to be the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals, but my mom told him we'd be home in time. She was right, we made dinner reservations for 6 p.m., were walking out the door of the restaurant at 7:10. Hockey game started at 8.
I had a hard time picking the restaurant, like I always do for special occasions. It's hard to choose because there are things I really like at different places. For example, at the Lone Star Tex Mex Grill they make the greatest frozen margaritas I have ever had in my life. But, the food is just okay. At Montana's Roadhouse, there is a delicious deep fried cheesecake with caramel sauce. But, I'm not a big meat-eater, so there really isnt' anything I like to eat at Montana's. There are some things that are fine, but not delicious. Plus, for university graduation, I wanted to go somewhere, not necessarily fancy, but a step up from a roadhouse. My mom suggested a new Italian place called Pocco Pazzo (means a little crazy), that won a Best New Restaurant award recently. I went online and looked at the menu, and decided that seemed fine.
If any of you ever happen to be in or near Stittsville, Ontario, go to this restaurant! Nice atmosphere, friendly staff, and the food is SO good! My brother had chicken parmagiana - the piece of chicken was smothered in cheese and it was almost bigger than the plate it came on. And, there was not a ton of sauce on it, so that the chicken still had a crispyness to it - exactly how I like parmagiana to be. My mom had veal marsala, she said it was great. My dad said his pasta was just okay, and it did look a little boring - just pappardelle noodles, shrimp and clams, and an olive oil-garlic sauce. I had a tough time choosing what I wanted to eat (I'm a pretty indecisive person), but I made a super choice - agnolotti stuffed with ricotta and spinach, with toasted pine nuts and a gorgonzola cheese sauce. It was so so so delicious! The only thing about this restaurant is that the dessert menu was kind of lacking - but that is my personal opinion. They had traditional Italian desserts, which is fine and expected - but I don't eat tiramisu or cannolis in restaurants, because I know that it will not be as delicious as the ones my Nonna makes. The other dessert options were a pistachio ice cream, brownie with a scoop of ice cream, and plain New York cheesecake. I had the cheesecake, and it was good, but a tad boring. But all in all, a good meal :)
Then when we came home, my mom gave me my graduation gift, from her and my father - well, from her, but with my dad's name signed to the card as well. I got a white-gold chain and a pendant shaped like a purse, with a little diamond in it, and white gold heart shaped earrings with little diamonds in them. My brother is graduating high school in two weeks, and he's getting an $1100 laptop for a grad gift. When I graduated high school, my parents bought my grad ring, $400, and paid for my grad trip to the Dominican Republic, $1500. Seems a bit odd that for graduating university, something that took a lot more effort and hardwork, I get a necklace. It is a lovely necklace, but it's no trip to the Caribbean. But I'm not upset I didn't get anything "better"... there isn't really anything I need! I just bought my own laptop.. short of my parents buying me a car or an apartment or something, there isn't really anything else I would have wanted. So I'm happy :)
11 Comments:
Congratulations on the graduation! And about the necklace...years from now, you'll have it, while a trip will be nothing but a distant memory. May not seem that way now, but you'll see it in time.
Best of luck. -CJ
By ckovalick, Jun 12 09 8:20 PM
Congrats, guitargoddess :)!
By Gatsby722, Jun 12 09 8:31 PM
Thank you, CJ and Gatsby :)
It's a lovely necklace and I quite like it, it just seems odd that when I finished high school everyone in my family was gushing over it and saying how proud they were, but finishing university, they're just like "Oh, that's good."
By guitargoddess, Jun 12 09 9:04 PM
How do your achievements compare with family achievements, or their expectations for you? If you'd threatened to drop out of high school, for instance, finishing would be a big deal. Getting your degree would be less of a big deal if you were settled and happy at university, and they weren't expecting you to drop out; or if nobody else in the family has been to university and therefore nobody appreciates what it entails. Just a thought.
I wonder who had more fun - you off out celebrating with your parents, or everyone else wearing a funny hat and sitting still for three hours? Ooh - why a "fake" diploma?
Belated congratulations on getting your history degree!
By lesley153, Jun 12 09 9:18 PM
Thanks Lesley :)
I am indeed the first one in my family to graduate from university, except for my uncle's wife. And I was much happier and settled in high school, and finished that with little to no effort. I was ready to drop out of university after my first year. So I don't know why they're not more excited for me, lol. Then again, I'm not that excited myself. I'm happy to be done, but it doesn't really feel like that big of a deal. Maybe because the transition from high school to university was more of a big life change? For the time being, it doesn't yet feel like my life different, having finished university. But, done is done :)
Fake diploma - they don't give the real ones during the ceremony, they just hand out rolled up pieces of blank paper for the symbolism and for photo taking. They give the real one in a nice, flat envelope after the ceremony (or it comes in the mail, if you don't attend) so that it stays nice.
By guitargoddess, Jun 12 09 9:45 PM
Well then it's an enigma. Have you asked them? Are you bothered?
Good idea, fakes. You can frame yours in a smart, imposing frame, that will go on the wall where you work. Impressive.
By lesley153, Jun 12 09 10:19 PM
Nah, it's not that I'm bothered, I just think it's a bit weird, is all.
I hope I get the kind of job where I can put my diploma on the wall! lol no job prospects yet..
By guitargoddess, Jun 12 09 10:38 PM
I guess I have nothing to say, except congrats on your diploma...Oh, and maybe you are being just a little petty?
I don't mean to sound nasty, but if you didn't expect at least one person to say it, you wouldn't have put it out there.
I too, hope you get the perfect job, and a wonderful life.
By veronikkamarrz, Jun 12 09 11:17 PM
I don't think I'm being petty.. I mean, I can see how my post came across as such, but that wasn't the intent. It's not a 'wahh, feel sorry for me' post, nor a 'all I got was a stupid necklace'. Like I said, I wasn't wanting or expecting anything else. My original intent was just to talk about the delicious pasta I ate, lol. The stuff at the end was just a reflection on how it's a bit odd that high school graduation seems like a much bigger deal, even to me personally. When I finished high school, it felt like a big milestone, but this doesn't, really.
By guitargoddess, Jun 13 09 9:58 AM
Delicious pasta aside, it really didn't sound like that. However, I believe that is how you felt.
I think a stiff upper, and all that, is a good thing. I do wish you well, GG, and it won't be long, before it's ALL up to you. Best of luck to you.
By veronikkamarrz, Jun 14 09 1:31 AM
Well, GG, I'm about a day late and an American dollar short. But I wanted to extend my own congratulations for getting through your university experience and getting your degree. Honestly, I'm quite proud of you. And I also agree with your decision not to sit through all that yapping.
A little graduation story of my own, if I may. I graduated in the fall of 1992. At that time, fall commencement was still a fledgling idea at NC State. My parents came up, not so much to watch the festivities as to pick me up and take me back home. I didn't go to the main ceremony, but I did go to the departmental ceremony at the old Raleigh Civic Center. Took less than an hour to get through everything, but it was a good experience. And once we got back home to Gaston County, we had a good meal out.
Getting through university is a major milestone. But there are many others ahead.
By cag1970, Jul 11 09 8:46 PM