Graduation at Harvard

Long time no see. I know, the blog has been a little quiet for a while, but I now back at full strength. A million things have happened since last time so I might update a quite frequently for a while.

Harvard Medical School dressed for commencement

Last week were the week of graduation for most of the Bostonian colleges and universities – and there’s quite a lot. I think I remember that about somewhat 250,000 students attend higher education in Boston. So the streets have been filled with happy graduates and proud parents. And of course the same goes for Harvard. I knew that the graduation, or commencement as the ceremony itself is called, took place on Thursday 26^th, so I thought I would bring my camera on my way to the lab since I pass Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Yard (main campus and home of the college), Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health.

Outside Harvard Yard (no people and a lot of cars at this time)

As I have told previously, I usually take the M2 Harvard shuttle bus from the Yard to the medical school. It was something past seven in the morning and already very hot (in Boston it somehow went from winter to summer in a week). When I reached Harvard Square I had to check my watch to check if I somehow overslept because the usually empty square were filled with people in gowns, with camera’s, flowers etc. I wasn’t really expectiong anywhing to happen this early. Nonetheless, all the installations that had been set up during the last week or two, changing the yard with seating’s and so on, were now to be taking into action. Unfortunately for me, my bus stop outside the Yard was of course also moved. I wasn’t really sure whereto so I decided to head back for the square to take the T (subway) instead. As it turned out that was a lucky move, ‘cause I got to see what it’s like when the different undergrad houses march toward the Yard.A little background info. Only the freshmen live in housing at the Yard. The rest are assigned on a random basis to one of 13 houses located between the Yard and Charles River, where they stay for the rest of their time at Harvard College.

I have attached videos of Lowell and Kirkland (Mark “Facebook” Zuckerberg’s old house). I don’t know the background for the themes but it was easy to tell that there’s a lot of history and tradition at this College. Well, it was the 360^th commencement... I thought it was pretty cool. And everyone was of course very happy and excited just as they were supposed to be. It was a joyful event. Made me want to graduate again! I don’t think there’s going to be a march and back pipes when I defend my PhD next year…

There were people from all over the world. Easy to tell form all the different languages spoken around me, which made it even more exciting. The commencement address was provided by a former Harvard student, the president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Pretty cooI as well, I guess.

I was happy that day. Well, ya sure I’m always happy, but although I really had nothing to do with it affected me. College graduation is a big thing. Somewhat comparable to gymnasium in Denmark. The youngsters (I feel old when I say that – and not in a good way) are now on their own, facing the good and bad on their path. The president of Harvard, Drew Faust, said in her Baccalaureate Address earlier in the week: “Search for your own sermons. Finish your own sentences. And then rewrite them, again and again.” A great life lesson, even for “poor guy” like me who wasn’t even graduating :-)