h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It was graduation day for our students today. I went along to the College at 9.15 to walk in the procession with them to Senate House. Bright and sunny, but rather windy. We held up the traffic crossing over West Road - I was walking with one of our Senior Members, and she remarked on the arrogance of the University with regard to the town. "We're the University, we can do what we like!"

Once the graduands had gone inside to receive their degrees, I went round to the back of Senate House to see them come out. The Principal of the College was deputizing for the Vice-Chancellor, so they received their degrees from her, then came out to be met and congratulated by the Senior Tutor, the Vice-Principal and other Senior Members (and me). They have to come down a steep flight of stone steps onto a cobbled street - some of them were a bit emotional and others were very shaky on their high heels, but nobody actually fell over!

While we were waiting for them to come out, I chatted with an important-ish person from another nearby college, who is Director of Studies in his subject at the place where I work. He was reminiscing about his own graduation, at Aberdeen, and the fact that graduands there had their hoods placed on their shoulders during the ceremony. Did that happen at your graduation, Douglas? Judging from the number of safety pins needed for our students to keep their hoods on, it wouldn't have been very practical for ours!

Aha, Annie, we Aiberdonians are cunning - the hoods get put on by the 'heid jannie' (I am here traducing a noble office, and a very powerful NCO in the Uni) just before we go up the steps onto the platform. We get hit on the head within 10 seconds maximum thereafter. We go in with the hoods correctly folded and orientated so to be slipped on quickly, and, in addition to the head jannie there is an end of row marshal, who lines us up row by row, sausage factory-style, and checks the hoods as he (or she) goes along. In the pre entry procession assembly area hood etiquette is extensively and thorougly covered - as much trouble gets taken over the folding of the hoods as gets taken over the packing of a parachute. Post ceremony, gentlemen can fix their hoods to their jacket top button using the loop.

I have been hearing about the Cambridge hi-jinks from Caius. He has just had his year 1 viva. He tells me that he went to the May Ball, and lasted through to the survivors' photo. I hope to be able to introduce you to him in person some day.


Douglas

Look forward to it!