Graduation in the Playground

[RTGoodman]

First, some mood music (http://youtube.com/watch?v=moL4MkJ-aLk).


So, in just a few short days' time (as you may can tell from my current avatar), I'll be finishing my undergraduate studies and will, on Friday/Saturday, graduate summa *** laude with my BA in History with a minor in Medieval Studies! To add further excitement, I'm also apparently the BA in History Senior of the Year, though I have no idea what that means.

Being that time of year, at least in the US, I wondered if anyone else is celebrating the end (for now) of their educational career. Finishing elementary/middle/high school? Getting your BA like me? Finally getting that MA, PhD, or other degree? Let's hear about it! Also, if you're graduating from college/university, what are you plans?

For me, I'm looking at taking a year or so off to make some money and maybe do some traveling, and then starting back to grad school to eventually get my PhD in

[InaVegt]

I hope to be graduating my HAVO soon, final exams start in less than two weeks, 7 of them in 9 days time, 3 of which I'll be free.

[Lycan 01]

Congratz! I graduate high school in a few days. And I actually intend on shooting for a PhD in History...

[Zeb The Troll]

Nice work, rtg. :smallcool:

I got my degree (a BS in IT) a few years ago, but Alarra this month will be getting her MS in Art Therapy. She'll be defending her thesis in just a few hours, in fact. She's completed her classes and her internship and really all that's left, besides that pesky thesis thing (:smalltongue:) is a few loose ends that need to be taken care of before actually walking across the stage in a little over a week.

[Haruki-kun]

I just graduated. Like... less than an hour ago. I turned in my very final exam.

And I'm off to college. I worked hard for this, but.... I can't believe it's over. High School was so awesome, I feel that a part of me does not want to leave. :smallfrown:

[PhoeKun]

I'm... :smallsigh:

I'm trying. I'm close. I'll have a BA in English (Creative Writing) in another couple of months. It should be in a few days, but I'm a miserable screw up who can't organize a schedule or pass all her classes...

edit: actually, screw negativity. Congratulations to all the graduates.

[Dallas-Dakota]

Grongratulations Haruki!

I'm in second year of HAVO now, but I'l be going to special education next year. So if it go's well, I can graduate for english then if I'm lucky!

[Dallas-Dakota]

edit: actually, screw negativity. Congratulations to all the graduates.
Thats more like it!

:smallsigh: *go's on with life*

[Alarra]

Well sure Zeb, don't let me come in and tell my own graduation news. :smalltongue:

But yes, I'll be graduating in a week from Eastern Virginia Medical School with an MS in Art Therapy.

I passed my thesis defense this morning, have a few minor revisions, but nothing I didn't really expect.

Hooooooowever, the exciting news is....
My thesis chair asked me if she could keep my study open. She's planning to apply for grant funding through the NIH (National Institute of Health) to replicate the study, with a larger group of participants, which means I'll be a co-investigator in all of these, as well as having access to the grant money. Also, depending on where I'm working, I may replicate the study myself over the next year with a different population. She's also trying to incorporate what I did into the medical students' curriculum and my study has incited the school to offer monthly stress reduction workshops to students and staff. Suffice it to say, I'm pretty freaking happy right now.

I was also told today that my thesis is dissertation level, rather than that of a master's thesis and that I should really expand this work into a doctoral dissertation. My committee members looked at me and said 'You are getting a PhD...right?" As if there was no question in their mind that I really should head straight into a doctoral program. I had no intentions of doing so....but now I suppose I'm considering it more seriously. I was told this is the strongest master's level thesis my professor has ever read and that I have to submit it to at least 3 journals. *floats away on a cloud*


*comes back down to offer a big congrats to everyone else* Graduating is such an accomplishment! :smallbiggrin:

Edit: Oh hey, you asked about my plans....My plans are to finish moving into my house in Maryland. Get married. Collapse for awhile. Find a job. Work a bit. Then maybe go get a PhD. Maybe have a kid somewhere in there. Try not to strangle the dog. Be happy.

[smellie_hippie]

Grats Alarra! That's fantastic!

What was the basis for your thesis? I assume the art therapy approach was in relation to children... but that may be off. Tell me more, it sounds exciting!

In other news... my Licensure Exam has been scheduled for May 24th. :smalleek: I won't have the results until late July :smallfrown:

I've been studying like a madman for weeks... but the anxiety is slowly creeping in.

[Alarra]

Actually, my thesis had nothing to do with children. It was looking at whether visual journaling had an effect on stress, anxiety or affect in medical and health professions students and staff. And, while I didn't get enough participants to show statistical significance, the intervention did reduce their stress levels and decrease their negative affect, although it wasn't sustainable over time without continued intervention.

And good luck with your licensure exam! *gives big hug* I'm sure you'll do fine. Although I must say I'm not overly looking forward to taking that in a couple years with as much difficulty as I've heard people have.

[Ishmael]

I'm graduating High School in 6 weeks, heading off to UC Berkeley. Hooray!

Heh, what's with all the History PhD students? That's exactly what I want to do (Well, (Early) Modern Europe, with a concentration on the philosophy of history and the dual revolution)! It's a darn competitive world, I suppose...

[Lycan 01]

Today was my last day of school. I got on my Senior Mission Trip this Friday to Tuesday. I've gotta go to the Appalacian Mountains and visit a church camp, go preach to "mountain people," and do manual labor around the camp, such as fixing roofs and painting houses. I don't recall signing up for that last part... :smallannoyed:

And then next Friday, I graduate. But they don't even give me my Diploma until three days later, in case I pull a stunt on the trip or something...

And then its off to Mississippi College for me in August! :smallbiggrin:

[Zarrexaij]

I graduate May 23rd, but my last day of school is the Tuesday of that week. I know, crazy, but I have to go to all these mandatory senior things. It stinks. I want days off!!1oscarwilde;!

[thubby]

i technically graduate june 14, but i should be done by next week.

oh, and this (http://youtube.com/watch?v=dMWl_5NujBw) is my mood music.

[skywalker]

I just graduated. Like... less than an hour ago. I turned in my very final exam.

And I'm off to college. I worked hard for this, but.... I can't believe it's over. High School was so awesome, I feel that a part of me does not want to leave. :smallfrown:

No walking across the stage?

BTW, I played Pomp & Circumstance 3 times in HS, 3 times too many. One of the top 10 days of my junior year was realizing I would never have to play it again. I hate that piece of music almost as much as Canon in D (http://youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM). Yes, I play cello :smallwink:

Congrats to all grads.

[RTGoodman]

Congrats, guys! And especially Alarra - that stuff about your work being dissertation worthy is awesome!

I just finished my last exams today, so now I've just got to finish packing stuff tomorrow and actually go to the graduation ceremonies on Friday and Saturday.


No walking across the stage?

Some colleges don't do the walking because of the size of graduating classes. I won't get to on Saturday at my full graduation because there are probably hundreds or thousands of graduates. (I think the school has like 23,000 students, so a couple or few thousand graduates sounds about right.) That's why each department is also having a separate ceremony so everyone gets to feel special! :smallbiggrin:

[skywalker]

Congrats, guys! And especially Alarra - that stuff about your work being dissertation worthy is awesome!

I just finished my last exams today, so now I've just got to finish packing stuff tomorrow and actually go to the graduation ceremonies on Friday and Saturday.



Some colleges don't do the walking because of the size of graduating classes. I won't get to on Saturday at my full graduation because there are probably hundreds or thousands of graduates. (I think the school has like 23,000 students, so a couple or few thousand graduates sounds about right.) That's why each department is also having a separate ceremony so everyone gets to feel special! :smallbiggrin:

I was actually speaking to Haruki, shows me to not be specific. UTK does the same thing. I hope I get to graduate some day :smallsigh: :smallwink: