1. Today is USM's 39th Graduation Ceremony.
2. Fazri arrived two days ago. He and his soon-to-be wife, Farha will be graduating together. Just over a year ago, their relationship was on the brink of collapse. But he somehow, managed to weather the storm successfully.
3. Fazri tried to win Farha’s heart not in one semester, not in two, not even in three…he tried diligently for over seven semesters! A classic example illustrating true love is still alive and kicking in our modern atmosphere.
4. There’s time when Fazri was exhausted…but I kept persuading him to persevere. Now he is reaping the fruits of his relentless efforts.
5. There's a joke flying around us that both Fazri and Hafiz will get two scrolls upon graduation...a degree scroll and a certificate of marriage scroll (as both of them found their life partner in campus while studying). As for me, I did secured Fifa Championship winner's scroll under my belt.
6. Graduation is and will always captures every undergraduate imagination. This is the much awaited ceremony, a sign of the highest accomplishment as a student. All the hard work thoroughout the years had been paid off, and this is the moment to cap it off in style. It is a once in a lifetime moment.
7. During my matriculation years, we did have a convocation ceremony. But I skipped the event in defiance of the way it was conducted. Students were lined up to receive the coveted scroll according to their achievement. Meaning, those high flying 4 flat students will head the list, while those lagging behind will be the last to receive their scrolls on the stage.
8. The all conquering A-list, 4 flat students will receive their scrolls in all smiling manner. But how about the last row of students? the 2.00 to 2.50 pointer? can we imagine their feeling? I can picture their grim face while receiving the scroll...while students on the floor will regard them as C or even D class graduate. They will portrayed them as somehow belong to a lower status.
9. Despite playing fool and skiving off almost on a regular basis, I did managed to pull off a satisfactory result in the examination. I was in the range of the second class upper...due mainly to my luck. But still I abhor placing and judging people according to their examination result. This is, for me, some kind of discrimination. So I stayed away from the graduation ceremony.
10. Mr Lee, a rather strict Mathematics teacher who found convenience in punishing me repeatedly for failing to turn up in his class, was handed the task to address the rehearsal ceremony. When he called out my name and nobody answered, he had a second look at the list, and promptly said "Oh...I know this boy! That showed how infamous I once was back then.
11. It is not the scroll that matters. It is, after all, just a piece of paper. We should reflect what is on the scroll, not the scroll to reflect who we are. Make people amazed and dazzled by our sharp thinking, our matured take on issues and our rational mind. Make them say "Ohh...that's why he graduated from USM...". Let us reflect and justify what's being printed on the scroll.
12. Often we see graduates unable to express his or her thoughts articulately...but his or her scroll stated otherwise. They were clueless about simple facts, but their scroll reads out the all conquering A's in all subjects. They just don't justify their academic achievement on print. It's a shame.
13. Are they just a "paper tiger'? something that looked fiercely strong on paper, but it was a far cry from reality. It's a known fact our standard of education has deteriorated badly in recent years, but let's not be part of it. A good egg in a bad basket is still a good egg nevertheless.
14. Convocation Ceremony is just that...a ceremony. Being a true believer of reclusive lifestyle, I despise ceremony of every kind. That's why I would avoid any of it. Maybe I would changed in the future, but for the time being, it's here to stay...
