Ain't No Party Like A Roosevelt (Grad) Party

So, I suppose I'm now back to writing a diary-like entry. That's okay, I prefer things a bit mixed in real life too, I suppose my blog should be a reflection of that - poetry, diary-like and some very serious opinions.

It was wonderful to be back in Middelburg again.

I was back for a reason - the University College Roosevelt class of 2013 graduated, and I could not not go over and congratulate them. I consider at least three of the graduates to be very good friends, but then I sat there and realised that of the 130-something graduates, I knew at least a good third, and recognized another third as people I'd been in courses with or did committee things with 'back in my day'. A further ten or twenty percent were people whose names or faces (or both) I recognized.

Imagine that - they're not students who were in my year, and very many of them weren't even in my department, and yet I recognized about 3/4 of them.

It's not only easy to imagine that a university college of 600 is close-knit, it's even more strikingly easy to see that this is, in fact, the case - not only did I recognize them, a good amount recognized me in turn!

There's always a good reason to return to Middelburg - it's very pretty, and especially on days like yesterday it's good to spend the day out in the Zeeuwse sun and wind, to remove just about every trace of winter. And there's no better way to spend some good time in the sun with lemon-flavoured ice cream from Domani and a book while sat on the Helm square.

The ceremony was lovely as always - the grads in their black caps and gowns, the professors and lecturers in their fancy coloured robes, and all family and friends dressed up. As per usual, professor Oomen was wonderful, the commencement speaker was interesting ("Be the hero of your own story!") and the alumni gift to UCR - a mascot, a Teddy bear with a horned Viking helmet! - was awesome.

The reception afterwards, on the Abbey square, provided ample opportunity to flit around congratulating everyone wearing a black gown and have a good chat with lecturers. I got to tell one of my former Economics lecturers that I'm still using the Economic Naturalist concepts he taught me in Economics 160 to interpret Rational theories in Criminology. I got to have a chat with my former Rhetoric professor about my PhD applications. I got to talk to another lecturer about living in the UK - and also about this blog, actually (if you're reading this, Dr Lahey - hi!). I got to realise that without RA/UCR I would be such a different person now.

I got to ask so many wonderful graduates about their plans for next year, and hear so amazingly many cool replies. There's people going to Oxford and Cambridge to study things like Latin and English; there's people going to London to study things like Economics and International Relations; there's people staying in the Netherlands to do Law. There's people having obtained enviable internships with fascinating institutions and companies, and there's people planning trips to faraway destinations.

So UCR class of 2013: Congratulations. Your results are brilliant, and your plans are inspiring. I wish you so much good luck and prosperity in all your endeavours. And cheers for letting me celebrate your achievements with you.

So let's end this post with this Ode to Zeeland, the unofficial anthem (at least, it was back in my day) of UCR parties: Blof's Hier Aan de Kust.