University 2019/20 intake: Gearing up to graduation (for some but not all)

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Good luck with the transport today RedH. My sons' school friend graduated this week (ended his degree in 2020) - they were all talking about it in our hosue last night. I am quite glad my twins' 2020 ones were held this April just before Easter so all over and done, despite being so very late - at least it was cooler then. Today is not as hot so I think everyone will find everything easier including trains.

Good luck @RedHelenB - have a lovely day! Is it in Paddy’s Wigwam?

Not this year, its in the philharmonic hall. Still sat at Leeds train station, thank goodness for mumsnet to keep me occupied.

DD2 Masters graduation from LSHTM yesterday in central London! It was warm, shall we say.

Glorious old building in Westminster was amazing setting, but no air con, only some random fans. But she missed out on undergrad ceremony so nothing was going to stop her going to this.

Oh god @thing47 that sounds gruelling 🥵

The Phil is a nice venue, and it’s cooler! - enjoy @RedHelenB

@thing47 that sounds challenging. DN's ceremony yesterday was in a cathedral so hopefully relatively cool.

@RedHelenB hope you weren't too delayed this morning.

Thanks @bigTillyMint and @LouisCatorze, it was worth every second though!

And as it's a post-grad only university, ceremony wasn't that huge – only a couple of hours including speeches etc, thank goodness.

Only a couple of hours?
DD's was 45 minutes, which was quite long enough.

Various speeches, including a guest speaker, the actual presentations took about an hour I guess, I thought that was quite speedy? They seemed to get the graduands on and off very fast.

One thing I was surprised by was that they read out each student's grade, do they do that at undergraduate level? (my older two didn't go to university and this one didn't get an undergrad ceremony so I hadn't been to a degree ceremony before.) I wasn't expecting that.

Hope you all enjoyed the graduations despite the heat.

DD is starting to look for her Year 4 accommodation Hoping they'll be more accommodation soon, as they're having problems finding somewhere within budget.

@thing47, no reading out of grades at Durham or Bristol (and second Bristol was for an MSc, and there were PhDs graduating.) All ceremonies were about an hour, which was plenty long enough 😃

Remind me where she is @ifonly4

No grades read out at Newcastle either. The hall isn't very big so the ceremonies are shorter because they can't find an entire cohort in it. There were 5 degree ceremonies on the day DD graduated.

It must have been a little boring for the lectureres to sit through the same speeches 5 times a day though.

Not sure how clear I was as they don't award grades as such for Masters, but it was read out as 'awarded with distinction', 'awarded with merit' or ‘awarded’. So broadly equivalent to First, 2:1 and 2:2 – though with fewer getting the higher levels than at under-graduate.

The 6 PhDs graduating had the title of their theses read out which we thought was a really nice touch (even if I didn’t understand them).

One ceremony, whole cohort @RampantIvy, I guess it's small because it's very much a specialist university – DD2 would highly recommend it though if your DD is thinking of more studying in the future.

That should have read "fit" not find.

I have had a look at the masters options on offer there @thing47, and I don't think they would appeal to DD. She isn't keen on studying in London, and wouldn't want to stay at home to do distant learning.

Meant to add, there's a 'sister' school in Liverpool if she doesn't fancy London.
DD2 has looked at PhDs there, though she's going travelling first.

Just catching up with all the ceremonies, glad to hear all going well despite the weather. Hope RedHelen it all went smoothly.

Just had a very nice stroll along the beach a few of you know….(took a photo clue)

Ds had his graduation ceremony today at UEA. It all went well. It was hot queuing outside but in the shade it was better with a breeze. The sports park building had air con. so it was cool. We had to get in our seats 20 mins beforehand, then the ceremony and a few speeches went on for 80 mins. Not too bad I guess.

Fabulous photo @ZandathePanda. I used to take DD there a lot when she was small. We would stay with DH's mum every school holiday and go there in good weather. If you like Indian food there is an excellent Indian restaurant in the most unexpected place - in Shilbottle www.lalkhazana.co.uk/

The food is astonishingly good.

Cheers @RampantIvy - that’s dinner sorted!

Glad it went well @icanbewhatiwant . Did you take the whole family? If so did they manage to be civil? DD2 didn’t come to DD1’s as we thought she could used to Covid restrictions and then by the time they said she could, she’s booked to go away with bf’s family.She watches the live stream (for as long as she had to🙄)

*couldn’t due to

Thank you everyone for your good wishes. We had a lovely day, the ceremony was just over 90 mins there were 437 students receiving their degrees. Plenty of photos and fizz afterwards We had a nice meal at Papiilon and are now relaxing in the hotel
DD1s turn next week.

So anyone's DC who "can't be bothered" to attend their graduation ceremony? DC claims none oh his friends are going. He hasn't actually got all his results back so next week would have been too early?
I think next ceremony would be January but now had plans to go abroad for 6 months.

I almost envy you all going to your DC's graduations. You must be so proud and pleased for them. Still our time will come next year.

bigTillyMint she's looking for accommodation in Edinburgh. I thought they had a very healthy budget. They're either applying and not getting them, and have ruled three out as one room couldn't fit a bed, one is in a rough area and both girls will be walking back on their own at night or one had something that wasn't safe inside. Both Mums are on the case now, in the hope we pick up anything new immediately.

DD really didn't enjoy her graduation ceremony and has said that if and when she does a masters she won't attend another graduation ceremony.