The scoop on the day it is officially over

In investigating things that seniors at Ohio University would be interested in learning about, I got to wondering what graduation would really be like for all of us who are walking across the stage on June 14. So I called the Office of University Events and got the inside scoop from Molly Gilmore, a senior who works as a receptionist and stage hand for the office. She has a unique perspective on the event, however, because her father used to be the associate director for the Office of University Events and she has assisted with graduation since she was 10 years old.

The basic run-down of an Ohio University Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony goes a little like this:

• Seniors arrive at the garage at the Convocation Center by 8:45 (College of Business, Scripps College of Communications, College of Fine Arts, Regional Campuses, Russ College of Engineering & Technology and University College) or 1:15 (College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, College of Health & Human Services, Honors Tutorial College)
• Each student will get a notecard with their name on it to give to the announcer when it is time to call their name.
• Each college has its own portal to the floor of the convocation center and will start proceeding in led by a marshall holding the college flag. (Gilmore said there were a lot of spotlights going on at this time as well as the playing of the graduation song.
• After that the platform party (the president, the commencement speaker, etc.) will be processed as will the OU Mace (our OU seal)
• The speakers will give their speeches before the changing of the tassel. This years commencement speaker is Peter King, a 1979 grad and a senior writer for Sports Illistrated
• Each students name will be read off by college and they will proceed out the door to meet family and friends (Gilmore recommends you establish a spot with your family before commencement so you will be able to find each other quickly.)

Gilmore did give some dos and don'ts for the event:

1. Do decorate the top of your mortor board. She said she has seen some that light up. Gilmore did say to remember that nothing can hang down and graduates cannot decorate their gowns.
2. Do not bring beach balls to toss around. "Every year people try to neek in things like beach balls and they get taken away and people get mad, but it is too distracting.
3. Those in charge will not hesitate to take a person who looks like he or she is drunk out of the line, disappointing themselves and those who came to celebrate with them
4. Do sit with friends from your college. The announcing is not done alphabetically, so sit with the people you have suffered through all those classes with. I already know my "posse" for the big event.

One thing Gilmore told me that I found interesting was that we should be on the look out for a student who graduated in 1970. That year no commencement ceremony was held and many 1970 grads have walked in the years after. She remembers one year a 1970 alum's son was graduating so the alum chose to walk with his son.

Another thing I found interesting was that anyone who applies could be an usher or a marshal. They simoly need to apply, be interviewed and go through training.

The last and most important thing on most seniors mind is how long is it going to take and Gilmore assured me that they do a good job of not making it too long.

Memories

This blog is designed to document the thoughts rolling through the head of the soon-to-be college graduate. It will explore the memories of four years spent getting a college education, thoughts and tips on transitioning to the next step, information about some of the events still going on and the history behind them and, for all those crazed seniors, tips for getting a job.

Of course during the last quarter of their last year at Ohio University, any senior will get nostalgic, thinking back to the memories they have made and places they will find hard to leave. Four fellow seniors, who are all aquantances of mine, have recently shared their experiences with me. Let's see if you have similar memories and favorite places.

Lynn Walsh, a journalism major and senior class president this year, started thinking last quarter about makign a "bucket list." This is a list of things that she and her friends needed to do and experience before leaving OU, many of which she reported on Palestra.com. It started out with a list of sporting events they had been to before- a basketball and hockey game. Spring quarter they made a collection of things that are unique to OU that they thought they must do, based on recommendations they had heard from alumni over the years. Many of the items were restaurants, like the Burrito Buggy and Miller's Chicken. Others have been going to Bong Hill, golfing on the OU golf course, climbing the climbing wall at Ping and taking pole dancing classes in Athens.

"We would never go (pole dancing) in another city, but it Athens it's OK," she said.
She has also been thinking about memories a lot because she is working on the senior class gift, a digital time capsule. Lynn has been collecting stories about memorable experiences and other things that would represent our four years at OU. Among the things people have told her already, seniors remember the flooding of freshman year, the time OU beat Pitt in football, and Halloween in Athens. She said she will always remember the fests and homecoming.

For Adam Fardy, a history major, memories are closely tied to his favorite places. The first thing he mentioned was the old Front Room, adding that he has not spent much time in new Baker Center. He said he has enjoyed College Green, remembering a time at the beginning of his sophomore year that a group of friends played games there for hours. He also said he discovered Strouds Run in the spring of sophomore year.

He has the fondest memories of his freshman year, thinking back to the days when "work was important, but not that important." Adam said he was glad to have such a tight nit community to welcome him in and ease him into college life.

Beth Beach, an integrated language arts major, said the thing she'll miss the most about college is the randomness- meeting random people with whom you end up having random connections and realizing these are some of the best memories you will have. This is what she feels is unique to college.

She has enjoyed the things Athens has to offer outside, frequenting Emeriti Park and the trails at Strouds Run.

"When you are doing things outside you feel more relaxed," Beth said.

Chris Yonker, a journalism major, said one of the things he'll miss the most is O'Betty's, which has become one of his favorite spots to gather with his friends since moving off campus. Midnight breakfasts at the United Methodist Church on College Street have become a source of memories as well. Once he and some friends from home sang Bohemian Rhapsody while enjoying their breakfast.

Another memory that only Chris can have is protesting with the labor union while a group of people was protesting something he wrote about in the Post.

These students will have more insight in other posts, talking
about the transition from college, but now it is your turn.
I want to know what your favorite memory of OU is.
Where is that one spot you have to go to one last time?
Take the survey and see how your memories compare to other
viewers in a future post.