Stuffed Tigers and Red Wagons: Graduation, Part 1

Today was the day that I have been waiting for the past 5 1/2 years...okay, technically six, but I did receive my diploma last December, so I am saying five and half.

Today was the commencement for graduation. I can't begin to tell you how awesome it was to be able to finally be a graduate. Elder Dallin H. Oaks was the guest speaker and he gave a fabulous speech/talk. Not quite sure what it would be in BYU terminology.

Anywho...here are some pictures for the first half of my graduation...more shall follow after the convocations tomorrow. Sorry about the purple tint...my phone's camera likes to give dark blue colors a purple hue. Our graduation robes are dark blue...NOT purple.

Here are some of the graduates...there were nearly 6,000 graduating this semester. We lined up outside of the administration building. That brown building you see in the distance is the Marriott Center, where Commencement was held. After we lined up, we walked up to the Marriott Center and inside, where family, friends, and a proud faculty were waiting.

I was happily waiting in line, feeling satisfied with my accomplishment. Then I looked left and saw the graduate students...the people who were earning their masters and doctorates. It is a life goal of mine to get a doctorate degree. Seeing them just reminded me that I still not done learning.

We filled the Marriott Center. This is only about...a little less than half the Marriott Center and we are still filing in. It is awesome to be surrounded by so many who have worked hard to accomplish our various degrees. Go team!

Here is the president and deans arriving on the stand. Out of respect, we all stand when they enter. Then President Cecil Samuelson led the ceremonies. We had a few different speeches. One was the from the president of the alumni association. While he was encouraging us to be proud alumni and wear cougar blue on Fridays, someone behind me let out a cougar growl that was spot on. It caused our entire section to laugh which made the other graduates confused because they didn't understand what was so funny about retaining school spirit.

My mommy and daddy came and watched....they sat up in the nose bleeds and after a few minutes of frantically scanning the crowd, I spotted my dad and waved. So I promise, that is where they were sitting, because I saw them with my own eyes.

Excellent speeches were given and there was a feeling of excitement mixed with disbelief in the air. I couldn't believe I was done. I have finally earned my Bachelor's Degree.

BYU's motto is "Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve". I definitely feel that way. I received a world class education at that school, and now it is my turn to go out into the world and be a representative of BYU and all that it stands for.