NationStates Jolt Archive

Saturday, at approx. 9:30 AM, your favorite generalite walked across the stage at the Breslin to receive his Bachelors of Arts in History (with a completely unrelated minor in Nutritional Sciences!). It was a profound moment for me, as it was the culmination of four years of study, hour upon hour in the library, and more pages of writing then I care to count.

I posted this in GM, so I shall repost this here:
But really, today was a culmination of 4 long years of study for me. I could write a book on all the shit I did at MSU. A university like this, with all the history and tradition, is hard to leave. I grew up here. I matured here. I learned here.

I know its time for the next stage of life, the stage that you use the knowledge to make money and better the world. Perhaps, one day, I shall return to MSU for further education. But not now. Time to leave and make money.

For all you in college or going to college, heed my two pieces of advice.

First, note that you get out of college what you put into it. This is true for academics as well as extracurriculars. While others of my class were out playing beer pong, I was balancing the books for a half dozen student organizations. While my peers were looking at porn on a Thursday night, I was hearing cases on a judicial board. While my roommate was sleeping in the wee hours of the morning, I was plinking away with Simo (my air green dragon) in the basement of Dem hall. I got the most I could out of my university time. University isn't just a place to go to class, take tests, and graduate. It's an Experience. An experience that only comes along once in a lifetime. Make the most of it.

The second piece of advice strictly deals with Academics. Plutarch once said "the mind is not a vessel that needs filling, but a fire that needs igniting". I'm a proud Liberal Arts major. This quote defines what University is all about. University is not about career training, networking, or even graduating. University is about gaining knowledge. University is the spark that ignites the fire. And knowledge is the wood that feeds the fire.

So there. As an Alumnus of Michigan State University, I pass this advice onto the next generation of learners. Never forget that the object of university is education, first and foremost. Always remember that your college experience relies on the effort you put into it.

So ends my formal education. According to this thick piece of paper with a shiny seal on it, I am officially an Educated man, a member of the Bourgeois. As a true Liberal Arts major, I cannot accept this. Learning is one of those things one should never stop doing.

Anyway, as I complete my education, I know many others are in the process of theirs. So, in the interest of inb4 not a blog, I ask three things for those in higher education:

1. What College/University are you attending?

2. When are you graduating, and in what program?

3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.

I remember when I got my MS, the VP of Student Services (Whom I knew because I worked in her section as well as being known as a Student Ambassador and SOS member) asked me if I finally felt knowledgeable about the world as I crossed the stage.

My answer then was, "No, but at least I now know enough to know I know nothing".

Congrats and may you too find you know nothing. ;)

Congratulations.

I'm going to be going to Laurier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfrid_Laurier_University) in September, taking "BA Honours History Combination"

Congratulations. I get my degree in august.

I graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a BA in Illustration in 2008. I currently do freelance editorial illustration for a variety of local and national magazines and newspapers, as well as working part-time at a design firm specialising in organising exhibitions and in-house publishing of new design artists. I'm considering a postgraduate programme in design at Glasgow School of Art or Camberwell College of Arts in London, but I'm currently working on a graphic novel that I hope will be published in a limited run by this time next year. I've also recently been talking with Jonathan Cape publishing house (an imprint of Random House) about the possibility of a limited run (1000 or so) to be stocked in Waterstones - but that's early days and the novel itself isn't finished so I'll wait and see what happens.

Well congratulations!

Congrats! In the same boat, myself. Walking this Friday to get a nice piece of paper from Purdue University that says I have a Bachelor of the Arts in Political Science and Philosophy. It will be nice to look at while my unemployed ass looks for something gainful.

Reminds me that I gotta pay my print quota and parking tickets lest they keep my diploma from me!

Congrats buddy.

I suppose the MSU/BU rivalry never really took off over there either?

University of York for all three of them (just finishing the PhD off). Graduating from my BSc was a great moment, the MSc was a bit of a non-event though since the ceremony was in April when my course had finished in September (don't ask why they do it that way, they just do) and I was as such already into my PhD. I imagine the big moment for the PhD will be the viva/when corrections are accepted rather than the graduation ceremony, since the events will probably be separated by several months.

I'm studying chemical engineering. I finished my senior design project on Thursday, and I'm taking a victory lap. A year-long victory lap.

Just got my M.A. in Mathematics from Appalachian State, assuming it's really in the mail and I didn't forget about a library fine or something. Previously, I graduated from the same place in '07 with bachelors' in physics, math, and philosophy; I now will proceed to UC-Irvine, there to go into the Mathematical Behavioral Sciences doctoral program there.

We'll see how long that takes...

[snipped] Congrats!

They finally kicked you out! :p

Now comes the long and ardous task of you trying to get back IN!!! :D

So if I was to ask you what the nutritional value of Botticelli's "The Birth Of Venus" you'd know right?

So if I was to ask you what the nutritional value of Botticelli's "The Birth Of Venus" you'd know right?

If it makes you fap and ejac, you have your answer right there.;)

I graduate from Cambridge uni in June with a BA in Music. It's sad to have to leave. :(

I graduate from Cambridge uni

Posh twat. :p

Posh twat. :p

Perhaps every graduate here should also get a degree in 'Defying stereotypes' on presentation of their state school attendance....

Perhaps every graduate here should also get a degree in 'Defying stereotypes' on presentation of their state school attendance....

You went to a state school and Cambridge? I hope they didn't beat you with their lacrosse sticks for being a dirty commoner.

You went to a state school and Cambridge? I hope they didn't beat you with their lacrosse sticks for being a dirty commoner.

If anything, I'm the most posh of my friends - all of whom went to state schools - and I'm not posh.

I do hate the look I get from whoever I tell of where I go to university.

I graduate from Cambridge uni in June with a BA in Music. It's sad to have to leave. :(
I'm leaving at a similar time to yourself, and I agree: it's sad to see my undergrad go so quickly.

Four years have flown by.

1. What College/University are you attending?
Hull Uni.
2. When are you graduating, and in what program?
2011 or 2012 depending on the economic climate (if it's still shite I'll go for an MA, although I doubt it will be), in History.
3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.
Get a job, obviously.

What College/University are you attending?
Glasgow University

When are you graduating, and in what program?
I'll be graduating in June with an MA Honours in Philosophy (a Scottish Master of Arts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_MA), which is different to the English, non-Oxbridge MA).

What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.
I intend to continue with my study, doing a Masters in ethics/political philosophy, then hopefully a PhD and a job offer from some university or other, lecturing on philosophy.

I'm leaving at a similar time to yourself, and I agree: it's sad to see my undergrad go so quickly.

Four years have flown by.

Are you staying for graduate studies at the same university? I may return in a year or so to do more study, but for now I'm taking a break from it to sing in a cathedral choir.

Indeed, it has flown by, though it is amazing how much has been done in that time - so much more than any other 3 years of my life.

Good work...I'm working on that whole "Grad school" thing...it's kind of hard.

Are you staying for graduate studies at the same university?
Perhaps, I'm waiting to hear back from various unis to see where I get in.

Though Glasgow, where I'm currently at, or St. Andrews are my top choices.

I'm finishing up my second post-secondary diploma; I'm entering my third and last semester. Once I'm done, I'll heading out for field work as a law clerk (I believe this is a paralegal for some of you). My undergraduate was in Network Administration... blah, worthless undergrad.

Congratulations. Now comes the fun part.

Congratulations. Now comes the fun part.

Yea, the "not studying" part. :)

1. What College/University are you attending?
University of Queensland.

2. When are you graduating, and in what program?
Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Business Management. I graduated from that in the middle of last year, now I'm doing an extra year of Honours in Economics. I'll finish that in November.

3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.
Realistically? Get welfare.

No, I've done a brief stint as an intern in investment banking, and it's an area I'd want to go back to. But with things as they are, at the moment my best chances are with the central bank here and perhaps with some boutique trading firms. And if that doesn't work, I'll end up doing a PhD or something.

Congratulations. Now comes the fun part.Yea, the "not studying" part. :)

nah, the trying to get back in part! :tongue:

Congratulations. Now comes the fun part.

Collecting welfare and living off the state/my parents/people I steal from?

And thank you, everyone, for your kind words. At present, I have no intention of going back to school. Or doing anything, for that matter. I'm totally burnt out of school.

And Sark, I'm sorry to say that the BU-MSU rivalry does not extend beyond the two of us :p

Collecting welfare and living off the state/my parents/people I steal from?

And thank you, everyone, for your kind words. At present, I have no intention of going back to school. Or doing anything, for that matter. I'm totally burnt out of school.

And Sark, I'm sorry to say that the BU-MSU rivalry does not extend beyond the two of us :p

Ah yes...the post graduation life. Not getting a job in your degree field, drinking twice as much as you did in school to get over your miserable job, calling your parents to get them to help you pay your rent because you drank your income away...It's a beautiful thing.



Maybe there's still hope for the BU-MSU rivalry...once we get a football team or you guys get a good hockey team...

Ah yes...the post graduation life. Not getting a job in your degree field, drinking twice as much as you did in school to get over your miserable job, calling your parents to get them to help you pay your rent because you drank your income away...It's a beautiful thing.



Maybe there's still hope for the BU-MSU rivalry...once we get a football team or you guys get a good hockey team...

*cough* (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_NCAA_Division_I_Men's_Ice_Hockey_Tournament)

Or perhaps when you get a decent basketball team. We shall then make fine couchfires together.

*cough* (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_NCAA_Division_I_Men's_Ice_Hockey_Tournament)

Or perhaps when you get a decent basketball team. We shall then make fine couchfires together.

Psht...like 2007 counts...

*hasn't had a football team since 97, and hasn't had a good basketball team since...ever...*

Nothing bonds people quite like a good couchfire. Though, BU's main way of celebrating is with standard rioting...no real green spaces for a good burning of perfectly good, university supplied seating.

Psht...like 2007 counts...

*hasn't had a football team since 97, and hasn't had a good basketball team since...ever...*

Nothing bonds people quite like a good couchfire. Though, BU's main way of celebrating is with standard rioting...no real green spaces for a good burning of perfectly good, university supplied seating.

We only have one less then you. Not bad for a cow college, eh?

Couchfires are one of the benefits to going to a large university. We have more greenspace then we know what to do with, not to mention the agricultural research spaces. We can burn millions of couches. MILLIONS!

1. What College/University are you attending? I start at Troy University next August. (Haven't even gotten my damn high school diploma yet. I get that on the 22nd of May. Whoop-dee-doo.)

2. When are you graduating, and in what program?Hopefully 2013, in Information Systems (Specializing in Computer Networking or Web Design. Not sure which, yet.).

3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.Get a job.

I start at Troy University next August. (Haven't even gotten my damn high school diploma yet. I get that on the 22nd of May. Whoop-dee-doo.)

Hopefully 2013, in Information Systems (Specializing in Computer Networking or Web Design. Not sure which, yet.).

Get a job.

As a Liberal Arts major, I officially look down upon you. Down from my pedestal of knowledge. And Liberal Artsness. Its a very tall pedestal. Almost 6 feet. We don't know how to build any taller :(

As a Liberal Arts major, I officially look down upon you. Down from my pedestal of knowledge. And Liberal Artsness. Its a very tall pedestal. Almost 6 feet. We don't know how to build any taller :(I think you need to ask the engineer whiz kids. They can probably whip something up for you at an outrageous price in a month or two.

I think you need to ask the engineer whiz kids. They can probably whip something up for you at an outrageous price in a month or two.

But we don't know how to pay them. Our finances are all handled by grads from the Business College.

We only have one less then you. Not bad for a cow college, eh?

Couchfires are one of the benefits to going to a large university. We have more greenspace then we know what to do with, not to mention the agricultural research spaces. We can burn millions of couches. MILLIONS!

Well, BU is a pretty big university...32,000 students vs MSU's 46,000, and lots of land...it's just that our campus is part of the city rather than isolated on a traditional campus. We do have the BU Beach, but that just isn't so good for couch burning...too small to fit thousands.

And no, not half bad for a cow college. Though, we have way more Beanpots than you ;). And I think you have two less...you have 3 I think, and BU has 5

1. What College/University are you attending?
I prefer not to answer this one. You might stalk me. :p
2. When are you graduating, and in what program?
In 2011, before I turn 23. Doctor of Medicine.
3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.
Take the medical licensure exam, then enter a residency program.

Oh, by the way, congratulations!

But we don't know how to pay them. Our finances are all handled by grads from the Business College.Well, I'll be graduating from the Sorrell College of Business. Doesn't mean I'll know how to pay them, either. :D

1. What College/University are you attending?

2. When are you graduating, and in what program?

3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.

1. Undisclosed
2. I'm working on a PhD in astronomy, I think I'm supposed to be done in 2012.
3. I don't know... I used to think "be a prof" but there's a lot of stupid shit going on in the department (and I've been learning how profs are evaluated) that makes me not want to do it. Aside from the fact that I won't have any stability in my life until my mid-30s (at the earliest).

Like I'm going to tell NSG where I go to University :p

I am studying a BA Combined Honours in Journalism and English Literature.

Hopefully go into something in journalism or radio production. That't the ambition at least.

Grats.


Wont get my degree for 5 years. :(

Currently in my second year of my third undergraduate degree. Hopefully I'm not going to get bored of this one and quit half way through like the others. It's highly unlikely I'll get bored of this one, especially with the project I'll be working on next year.

I get to muck around with robots, trying to get them to act as autonomous agents, but working together to achieve a common goal. The current example I'm working from is multiple search and rescue robots searching a collapsed building for survivors. It's imperative that they keep doing something so as to not waste time, even if they fall out of contact with the rest, but to still try and co-ordinate themselves so that they don't waste time searching the same area individually. It's the only thing sustaining me through my exams. :D

1. What College/University are you attending?
-- A piece of shit.
2. When are you graduating, and in what program?
-- Probably never, photography.
3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears?
-- I might mention my degree during interviews, not like it's anything special.

Saturday, at approx. 9:30 AM, your favorite generalite walked across the stage at the Breslin to receive his Bachelors of Arts in History (with a completely unrelated minor in Nutritional Sciences!). It was a profound moment for me, as it was the culmination of four years of study, hour upon hour in the library, and more pages of writing then I care to count.

I posted this in GM, so I shall repost this here:


So ends my formal education. According to this thick piece of paper with a shiny seal on it, I am officially an Educated man, a member of the Bourgeois. As a true Liberal Arts major, I cannot accept this. Learning is one of those things one should never stop doing.

Anyway, as I complete my education, I know many others are in the process of theirs. So, in the interest of inb4 not a blog, I ask three things for those in higher education:

1. What College/University are you attending?

2. When are you graduating, and in what program?

3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.
Ooh, ooh!
Conflats!
:hail:

Perhaps, I'm waiting to hear back from various unis to see where I get in.

Though Glasgow, where I'm currently at, or St. Andrews are my top choices.

Its actually St Andrews, not St. Andrews. We're quirky that way :tongue:

Congratulations



1. What College/University are you attending?

2. When are you graduating, and in what program?

3. What you intend to do with your degree earned with blood, sweat, and tears.

1. University of Edinburgh

2. Either next year or the year after depending on whether or not I decide that an "undergraduate master's" is a waste of time or not. Anyway I'm doing BSc Geology with the option to extend it by a year and make it an MEarthSci.

3. If I do well enough, do a PhD. If not probably either mineral exploration or petroleum geology.

Its actually St Andrews, not St. Andrews. We're quirky that way :tongue:
Hmmm, I've seen documents from the local council reference it as St. Andrew's, so consider yourself lucky.