It was a lovely occasion especially catching up with my classmates though briefly.
We started with a class of 13 down to 11 people. One dropped in the first term and the other was studying part time. Nine of us found their way on the graduation list. Rambler passed his masters with a distinction! Really chuffed!
Some of my class mates boycotted the function due to the fee the university charges students to pay to have their friends and family at their graduation. In fact there was a petition on facebook urging students to sign to have graduation fees banned arguing that having your family at your graduation is a right, not an additional cost.
Sunderland is one of the few UK universities that makes their students pay to have their friends and family at their graduation.
As you well know, while all classmates were on scholarships it cost rambler an extortionate amount of money to study in the UK, and the charges for the graduation were a drop in the ocean. So the decision to attend the ceremony was easy to arrive at. Anyway despite the facebook petition many people have been attending the graduation ceremonies.
Many thanks for all the support from friends. My biggest debt is to Donalisa for her outstanding support during my studies. The greatest anchor throughout my studies has been my faith in Jesus Christ. I should add that I am planning to go to study at a law school in Newcastle this summer unless you offer me a job! Your support will be much more needed during my time at the law school.
News just in: here with me is a letter from the University of Sunderland which arrived this evening informing me that a conditional offer of a place "has been reserved for you as a full time research student in the Media Area within the School of Arts, Design, Media and Culture....you will enrol for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy". If you won't give me a job or there no other intervening factors, rambler will still head to the law school this summer!
