Category Archives: Graduation

I’m done!

cue happy dancing

The last commencement speech I want to share today is the one that J.K. Rowling gave at Harvard in the spring of this year (click for full transcript).

I find it a particularly appropriate gift when we consider that the last Harry Potter book was published in 2007 and the last Harry Potter movie came out this year — the graduating dates for the class of 2011, from high school and university, respectively. (Assuming, of course, that the UBC class of 2011 took the traditional four years to graduate and not more…!)

as is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters

Have beautiful weekends, Fall graduates of 2011, and many more lovely days beyond.

Firstly, a happy birthday to one of my very best friends in the world! Taking that summer co-op at YMCA Camps was one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made — or rather, one of the luckiest, because who am I kidding? I didn’t know I was going to meet so many wonderful people and laugh that often. Your acceptance and support has meant so much to me over the past few years and I count you on my list of blessings everyday. I wish you love and happiness and mouthwatering food every day of your life!

Secondly, congratulations to all the November graduates of 2011! Today marks the beginning of the three-day fall convocation. To commemorate, I’ve decided to post one of my favourite graduation speeches for each of these three days. Mostly because I really wanted to repost this particular speech, and also to make a birthday present of it to my friend — I give you Ellen DeGeneres at Tulane in 2009:

follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someone else’s path — unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path, then by all means you should follow that

Finally, an FYI to non-graduating Arts students: the graduation receptions will be in the Buchanan courtyard, so you’ll probably need to factor that in when going to class for the next few days!

Contrary to what I told my parents just before they left this weekend (they were visiting for two weeks), the dates for the spring congregation period are up — though the detailed schedule won’t be posted until February — and I can actually start making travel plans.

To my very pleasant surprise, spring congregation will be from May 23–30, which will give me a whole three weeks between finishing up work and school and all that jazz, and actually graduating. Three weeks of no responsibilities to anyone or anything? I am going to love it.