Baccalauriat

After spending the entire morning and early afternoon at school claiming our clearances and attending the graduation orientation, we had our Baccalaureate Mass yesterday, on the soccer field of the university. Present were all the candidates for graduation from different colleges and faculties, including Grad School. I tried calling up the office to inform them that I'm not coming in for my 8pm-12am shift but the line just kept ringing so I thought, What the hell? I wouldn't trade this [baccalaureate mass] for anything on earth. Well, good for me! The event turned out to be something very memorable and well appreciated.

It started of with introduction of the different colleges and faculties plus statement of how many graduates it had produced for this year. Then, the mass proper--until it got dark. Next, the 'symbolic' pin ceremonies. Then they showed and audio visual presentation of something--I dunno what to call it. Then the lighting of candles. This was, for me, the best part of it. The candles looked like small lanterns lit up all over the place and then If We Hold on Together started playing and after a while we sang the university hymn facing the well-lit cross of the main building. It was heart warming and gives you a nostalgic feeling--senti! Just after we sang the last line of the hymn, "...imbued with unending grace," fireworks shoot up! Awesome!

It ended with the exit from the Arch of the Centuries (trivia: freshies 'enter' the arch, so seniors 'exit' the arch). It's supposedly finished but my college's admin had prepared a surprise for us [College of Education--wherein Tourism belongs--graduates]! They gave us a baccalaureate dinner, a sit-down meal with a violinist playing requests. Catered by ShangriLa restaurant (West avenue), it's lauriat so Baccalaureate became Bacca-lauriat. :)

Then at past ten in the evening, I'm off to work for my 12am - 4am shift. Talk about being awake for 24hours.