Graduation Day

~ Mum, dad and myself while queuing for our photoshoot ~

I'm not sure about you guys, but as much as people claim graduation days to be extremely fun and enjoyable, I actually find the day to be a lil' overrated and rather tiring.

No doubt it was fantabulous to finally be able to don the gown and officially graduate, but the fact that ONLY less than 1% of the attendees (comprising mom, dad, bro and 4 other PhD students who were also graduating) in the hall actually KNOW me, made the whole affair far less grand.

Also, all the running around in the morning before the ceremony - i.e. waking up early in the morning to collect the graduation gown, dressing-up, making-up, remembering to bring own camera for the ceremony, remember to bring invitation tickets for family, remember to feed family before graduation, queuing up and posing for the university photoshoot, making sure that both my family and I arrive at the graduation hall in time to get good seats and to register for the ceremony, ...yadda...yadda...was so exhausting it was inevitably hard to fully absorb and enjoy the moment that was to mark my academic achievement.

~ With dad, mum and bro outside Barony hall ~

~ With Fui Goon and Sandy Gray, whose student was also graduating ~

Nonetheless, the day went smoothly and there was nothing more I could ask for. Some wonderful friends/cohorts dropped-by after the ceremony to take photos with me and to share my joy. I was touched beyond words.

~ With the Malaysians ~

~ With the Pynes ~

The short impromptu photo session outside the graduation hall with friends and family was followed by quick dash to the nearby photo studio (in which my brother works in) for yet ANOTHER photoshoot, albeit a professional one, but with a difference. Venture Studios, which bro works as a digital imaging artist, provides a completely different photography experience called lifestyle photography - no conventional sitting-on-chairs-and-posing type of photography but instead more candid-and-in-the-motion-and-moment type of photography. The session was great fun, mum and dad especially enjoyed it. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the photos to upload now. Maybe later on...

Later that night, Fui Goon and I had our graduation dinner at Cafe Andaluz, which serves Spanish cuisine. Both our families, Goon's boyfriend's family as well as our close friends joined in the fun.

~ My family, Goon and Angelov's parents ~

~ The 3 families ~

~ Wee Kiat, myself and Sue Chin trying to control our laughters resulting from one of Wee Kiat's jokes ~

Despite the rushing around and slightly anti-climax ceremony (because I didn't know many of the graduants in the ceremony), the day on itself was still made special by the presence of loving family and good friends.

.....and not forgetting, flower bouquets and a me-to-you graduate bear gift! :D