I just rented the gown and that ridiculous hood that kept trying to slide off my shoulder, but I paid full price for the hat. So worth it!

Everything leading up to the ceremony was very confusing and strange. I had to go collect my robes at City Campus, and had some lady put them on me, which was sort of weird. Then I had to go register at the Grand Theatre. We had lunch at the City Campus refectory, then back to the theatre again. I kept running into people I knew, but didn’t really know what to say to them as I was mostly just nervous and confused and had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. I did talk to some people, though. It was nice to see everyone again.

The ceremony was slightly long, with a lot of speeches. Then they called us up in order of department and the names of our degrees. Pop music was quite late. We were seated alphabetically and called up in that order. If anyone had attained special merits or received an award or something, they said so when they called them up, so when I was called, it was with an added “with first class honours”, which was slightly embarrassing, though I was also pleasantly surprised by how many people applauded me.

After the ceremony we didn’t stick around outside the theatre as long as I should have liked. I wish I had got more pictures taken with people, talked to some more of them, but I was still just walking around really confused, not certain how long it would be prudent to stay, trying to look for people but feeling uncomfortable approaching them when they were talking to their families and so on.

I did talk to my old teacher from NISS, who attended the ceremony. It was nice to see him again, and he invited me and the other Norwegian graduates to join him at the Hog’s Head a bit later to hang out with the new students that came from NISS this year. I was only there for about an hour, but I talked to them a bit and it was nice.

After that I went to Frankie & Benny’s with Morten, mum and Abi. We had champagne and tasty dinners and wine, and afterwards Morten, Abi and I went to the Wheatsheaf while mum went back to the hotel cause she was tired. We got Abi tipsy, and talked to a bunch of strangers. Because I was still wearing the funny hat, everyone congratulated me and what-not, whether they knew me or not.

Yesterday, we checked out of the hotel and I left my stuff with Abi. Then I went out with my mum and Morten into town, we went shopping and had lunch at Wetherspoon’s, and then I saw them off to the train before I headed to the Wheatsheaf to meet Robin.

I was meaning to take a bunch of pictures, but it was just so lovely to see people again that I forgot. At first it was just Rob and I, and we talked about what we’d been up to over summer and everything. Then Dom showed up, which I hadn’t expected because he’d said he couldn’t come, and I got to talk to him a bit. Josh showed, too, and was there with us for the rest of the evening, and George L was there for a while, and some of his friends. Abi turned up, too. We stayed until Robin had to go home, and then we got some food at ASDA and went to Abi’s place where we ate a bit, and watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding on my laptop.

I’m sitting in Abi’s room right now. Probably getting out of here in a little while. I need to pack all the stuff I left here with her. It’s not that much, but I will probably have to expand my suitcase all the same. Then I’m gonna need some breakfast… I’ll probably go to town and get some, as Abi doesn’t really have anything in.

It’s been a lovely weekend, and I’m off home today. I’m gonna miss everyone I probably won’t see again in a very long time, though I’ve promised to come back some time during the academic year, possibly in February, when I have a week off from school, I think.

I love all my friends here to bits, and I wish you all the best!