Commenced

So, I walked last Friday. It was nice to get closure on that long, arduous journey. I'm still awaiting one official grade for this semester, which could potentially keep me from my diploma, but I'm optimistic.

I actually awoke last Friday certain that I wouldn't be able to walk. See, when I talked to my advisor months before, he had told me that "everything is good to go", so I set everything graduation-related aside and went about my business. I started getting a little nervous last week and emailed the secretary of the CS department to see if everything was in order.

I didn't hear anything back. That concerned me, so I emailed my advisor to ask him. He replied on Friday morning saying something like "you'll be fine...just check your verification email from the graduation department." The trouble was, I had no email from the graduation department. I had never had any interaction with them, whatsoever. A quick check of the school website told me that I was supposed to have sent in a graduation application form and $30 to them by the 3rd of October.

I was certain that I was screwed. I tried calling the school, but all the people who would know any answers were at a rehearsal (what I assumed was a graduation rehearsal involving all the graduates which, it turns out, was not the case). Commencement was at 2, so we decided to drive up to Weber anyway and see what we could figure out. We left around 9:30 and got there about 11.

I went into the Student Services building to the Registrar window and asked what, if anything, I could do. She checked her computer and verified that yes, I was not signed up for graduation. Total bummer. Then she said she'd grab someone from the Graduation Department (now returned from rehearsal).

The first thing the Graduation lady said was "Don't worry, you can walk!" It's like she read my mind. At that moment all my anxiety melted away. She handed me a form (the one I should have handed in months earlier) and told me to go up and pay the $30 to the Cashier, who would then stamp the form, and bring it back. I did as she asked.

When I came back, the Graduation lady was gone, but the Registrar was still there and started putting my information into the computer. She was making smalltalk and said "Marston? Do you know a Norman Marston?" I told her that yes, I did, but I didn't know if he was the one she was thinking of. She couldn't remember his wife's name (which would be my Aunt Connie) but sadly she had heard that he had passed away. I told her that he's my Uncle, and she told me how "we" loved him and missed him (I assume the "we" was her and various acquaintances). It was nice to hear so many nice things about him.

She finished and told me to meet the Computer Science department at Portal 19. She mentioned in passing that I wouldn't be in the program. That was what the October deadline was for, but that my name would be in the Spring 2009 Commencement Program, if I wanted to get a copy.

After that the girls and I headed down to the Children's Treehouse Museum and hung out until it was time to meet at the Dee Event Center.

It was all pretty uneventful after that. I met up with 3 other guys who had taken the CS extension courses at the SLCC campus with me. One of them had never set foot on the campus until that day and was impressed at the size of the University.

After it was all over the girls and I (along with Jena's mom) went to the Athenian on Historic 25th Street. Man, I love that place. Jena's mom paid for dinner (thanks, Leslie!) and then we headed back to the Treehouse for another hour or so.

All-in-all it was a very enjoyable day. It started out stressful, but couldn't have ended better.