ONCE UPON A DREAM; Master of Arts Graduation!

 

I have just had my second Graduation ceremony and I am now awarded the Degree of Master of Arts in Creative Writing!  It's been a weird course, much of it on Zoom because of the pandemic, and even our graduation was moderated due to Covid - for instance, there were no hand shakes, no champagne buffet afterwards and no scrolls were handed out at the ceremony. Instead, it was just a doff of the cap to and from Baroness Kennedy QC, who was presiding over the event.  I don't think I've ever met a Baroness before and she was lovely, not at all stuffy, so that was quite nice.

Just like last time, I was a bag of nerves. I left my mother in the foyer of the venue as we went through different doors to take our seats.  I was sat behind what seemed like hundreds of BA Graduands, who all had to receive their degrees first, so the wait was pretty nerve wracking.   As a Masters Degree recipient, and the first of only three MA students, I was in the penultimate group to go up, with only the PhD students behind me. So there was a lot of sitting and clapping and plenty of time for the nerves to build. 

By the time we were called to the stage area, my mind had already envisioned every possible disaster that could befall me;  I'd trip over my own feet, I'd trip on the steps going on or off stage, I'd slip on stage and butt-sledge across the boards, I'd rip the gown on the hand rail, I'd knock off my mortar board as I doffed my cap or I'd forget to doff completely and the Baroness would have me flung in the Tower and probably beheaded...

So by the time I was being given instructions to ascend the mountain of three little steps and stand on the white marker while my name was read out, then traverse the stage, I was shaking like a jelly.

How I got through it without vomiting on my shoes or peeing my pants in terror I'll never know! I'm simply not cut out for pomp and ceremony and I don't like being the center of attention.  Not for the first time I felt so grateful to my mum for giving me a nice long name, as this gave me vital extra seconds to collect myself as I stood on stage, before I began the walk of terror.  I don't recall doffing my cap, but my mum tells me that I did it beautifully.  To be honest, my brief time on stage is a blur to me - all I remember is the huge sense of relief I felt when I sank back into my seat, my eyes filling with tears of gratitude that it was over and I'd somehow managed to navigate the ceremony without mishap.  From then on it was time to celebrate!

The Christmas Market was in full swing - much smaller than usual, but still an improvement on last year when it was cancelled altogether, so we went into the pretty Alpine Bar and had roasted chestnuts and hot spiced toffee cider.  The we tried a spiced mulled gin, which was lovely, before going around the market and buying a few festive goodies.  Afterwards it was time to head back to university for the de-gowning ceremony, and from there we went out for a roast dinner to finish off the day.  It was lovely and my mum said she had really enjoyed the whole day, so that was nice.

Of course, I am still attending Masterclasses as and when I want to, although I now go as an Alumni so I can just pick and choose the speakers I want to hear and the seminars I want to attend.  This means that I will still be popping into university quite regularly, especially if they have events with an author I am especially interested in, as this is a great way to meet other successful authors and network a little bit.  

So my time at university is far from over, and I did find myself thinking during the ceremony earlier how lovely the PhD graduation robes are! One rung of the ladder remains - maybe I'll climb it, maybe I won't. All I know is that I have achieved the goal I set for myself and I am now a Master of Arts as a Creative Writer.  After over twenty years as a published author, I now have a high qualification in the job I've been doing for all that time! That is an achievement worth celebrating and I brought a new friend home with me too...😀

Congratulations to anyone else who has graduated this autumn - it has been a strange time to study, so the results are especially worth celebrating.  Enjoy! 

Marie Bruce MA x