Graduation Day

Since I stayed up late cleaning the house I did not want to get up when my alarm started ringing at 6am. After getting myself ready I had to get Jaida ready. At about 8am we finally left the house and headed toward SUU's business building. Of the graduates standing around I didn't see any of my friends, so we took pictures and stood around for awhile. Ching found me, so we took more pictures. She still wasn't sure if she'd be able to graduate. Monty, Jaida, and Jeep left to find Tara and came back about 20 minutes later - just in time to see us walk off behind all the other colleges. The procession was headed by the SUU bagpip band followed by all the faculty members and then each college joining the procession. The faculty lined up on each side of the sidewalk, clapping as we filed down toward the Centrum's tunnel. The tunnel led us into the Centrum and we walked single file toward our seats. Luckily right before the ceremony began I saw my whole family walk in and sit down. I waved until they finally saw me.

We listened to President Bennion, a student speaker, and then Mike Leavitt gave the commencement address. Afterward, I found my family and we went outside to take pictures. We ate lunch at the Chinese Buffet - and luckily they gave us a room to ourselves. When lunch was over some people went to the park with the kids and others went back to my house. I had a headache so I went back to the house.

At 1:30pm I was back at the Centrum lined up in the tunnel. We filled out another form with our address, and then I phonetically spelled my name out so they would be able to pronounce it correctly. We lined up and marched in. We shook the faculty's hands and waved to our families in the crowd. We listened to two student speakers and then they started lining us up to get our diplomas. Besides writing it, I was able to tell them how to pronounce my name. "Tanya Sitthichai Fielding." I walked across the stage and could hear my family shouting and clapping for me - I think Emmett was mostly who I could hear. :) I stood by the Dean of the Business department with my diploma in hand and had my pictures taken. Then we stepped off the stage to have our picture taken again.

The whole awarding of diploma's only lasted about an hour and afterward I found my family again and we went outside to take pictures. The wind was blowing so hard I kept losing my hat.

We all went to my house and relaxed for a bit. My aunt and uncle gave me a small gas grill to take camping and a beautiful jewelry set. Then I got money from my mom and dad - which I went and bought Photoshop CS with, money from Shay and Judy, money from Jim and Belinda, and money from my Uncle Ray.

It was an awesome day for me!