Graduation.

… or Commencement.

… or “The end of my 21 years of formal education.”

… or “Please wear this black gown and hood in sweltering 90+ degree heat.”

Yes, it’s true.  I finally graduated.  As in, I am leaving Stanford with a degree.  You see, I didn’t leave the last time I got a degree from Stanford and ended up sticking around for another year and a half.  But when I did decide to leave, I just left, no new degree.  So on June 13, 2010, I finally got to say good-bye to Stanford properly.  Ahh, closure.

The university-wide commencement ceremony was in the morning, and it was already insanely hot by 9:30 am.  However, I’m glad I went to see the crowds, the crazy outfits, Susan Rice (who made all of us groan when she encouraged TFA), and the Stanford Band.

The School of Education ceremony was in the afternoon.  There was a lot of waiting around, which I why I started taking pictures of the wildflowers on campus.  And I also got stuck in one of the two rows that was directly in the sun (we were in a grove for crying out loud – it was supposed to be shady!) so I did my best to sit still and not pass out.

BUT – I was hooded and received my diploma, so all is well.