Friday night we kicked off the graduation festivities with a reception with the chancellor for all of the December graduates.
The reception was in the Alumni Center (which is gorgeous!) and we ended up just roaming around for about an hour munching on some snacks and taking tons of pictures.
They had a massive and beautiful tree in the lobby area, so of course we took advantage of that and got some family pictures :)
After the reception we headed back to the house for some pizza, family time, and Skip-Bo!
Saturday morning I was up bright and early for GRADUATION! There were two graduations, the big one for everyone graduating in December (at 9am!), and the smaller one just for the college of management (at 12pm). My friend and I decided to go to both, ya only graduate once...
Both graduations were at the RBC Center since there were so many of us. We waited in one of the service entrance areas, then came out on to the "basketball court/ice rink/seating area" (the RBC Center is where our basketball team plays, where the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team plays, and - for 2 days of the year - where graduation is...) by going through the locker room area.
This arena is huge! It was kind of cool to see it from a different angle then what I'm used to. The first ceremony was loooong, 2 hours to be exact, and kind of boring...so I ended up talking with the friends that I sat next to and taking pictures throughout most of it.
The smaller ceremony for just the college of management was much shorter!
In this ceremony, we each had our names called and we walked up on stage to get our diplomas! (or fake diplomas anyway...the real one won't come until January...)
Here's where things get really entertaining. But how about we rewind back a bit to the very beginning where we were all waiting to walk into the college of management ceremony. We were lined up alphabetically and I was surrounded by guys, some of whom I'd never seen before! (Not sure how that happens after being at a school with them, in the same major, for 4 1/2 years...) But anyyyywaaay as we were waiting we were joking around about tripping as we walk across the stage and I said "watch, I'll be the one to trip...haha" and the guy behind me said "well, if you fall then I'll fall too and make it more elaborate to take the pressure off of you!" haha...well isn't he funny, thanks man..I'll hold ya to it! So we get out there, we listen to the speakers, then it's our turn to walk up and get our diplomas. Right before we head up there, I say to the guy in front of me... "don't fall!" he laughs and says "I won't..."
Now, here's some easy steps to follow for a good way to be remembered at graduation...
#1 Walk up to the stage
#2 Get your diploma
#3 Act REALLY EXCITED and wave to your family, while showing off the new diploma while walking down the stairs
#4 ...and then BAM! Next thing you know you're falling down the last 4 stairs, thinking to yourself...omgosh, am I really falling at graduation right now?! How cliche of me.
#5 Then you hop back up, fix your cap, try not to cry from laughing so hard, and you're good to go.
#6 But before moving on, you look back to the guy behind you and say "okay, you're turn!" Unfortuatntely he doesn't keep his promise... but it's okay, you're laughing too much at yourself to care.
#7 Then you walk back to your seat, sit down beside your new friend, and he says "I can't believe you actually fell." Me neither, my friend...me neither.
And that, lovely readers, is how falling at graduation is done!
But beware...it can be painful. In fact, you'll probably end up with two nasty looking bruises on your knees from smaking into the railing and your arms will be sore for a few days from clinging on, trying to save your life.
Oh, and if you're really lucky...your uncle will get the whole thing on video. Maybe once he sends that over to me I'll post it on the blog, maybe.
After the ceremony we took tons of family pictures and I said seeeee ya to NC State! Which actually makes me kind of sad now...
That afternoon we had a little party with tons of food, cake, and yummy goodies :)
It was a wonderful Saturday afternoon celebrating with friends and family! That night we continued the celebration and some friends and I went out for drinks and dancing :)
The next morning I was up early for more family time and a mini Christmas! But then everyone left and life returned back to normal... ish.
All in all I had an amazing weekend and I could not be more blessed and thankful for all of the people in my life that have pushed me to do my best, celebrated with me, and been there through everything in between! God has blessed me beyond measure!
And ps...I just have to mention the fact that it is currently 3 days before christmas and 70 degrees here in North Carolina. Sheesh!!
Happy Holidays!
B.Hines
