At Norwich in East Anglia for Graduations at the UEA

Still a bit of a palaver showering with a dicky arm: wrap bandaged arm in cling-film, put garbage bag over arm, sellotaping securely at either end, then tie cloth strips tightly at shoulder and wrist to mop up any encroaching water - then shower using one hand! Shaving is also a challenge, as is putting on socks...but the third task to completely defeat me was tying a Windsor knot in a tie. Solution: wife stands behind and does the tying. (The other two tasks that I’ve had to give up temporarily are driving and photography – grrrr!).

We were in Norwich yesterday, to attend younger son’s graduation from the University of East Anglia. The UEA is quite a contrast from Durham University, where elder son graduated three weeks ago. Durham University claims to be the third-oldest university in England and is located in a fairy-tale city of narrow cobbled streets, oak beamed buildings with a castle and a 920 year old cathedral set high on a hill in the centre of the city.

Norwich also has a Norman castle of similar vintage, but the university, founded about 50 years ago, is located in tranquil parkland four miles from the city centre. The surroundings are idyllic, green and pleasant with a small lake, but the buildings are mostly 1960s functional concrete.

It was very hot and, having struggled into a suit jacket, I gratefully escaped from it as soon as the studio photographs were over. ‘Our’ Congregation at 2.30pm was for the Norwich Business School of the university, with a high proportion of Chinese and African-origin candidates, business being a universal language. As usual, there were long queues for the temporary photo studios, and then queues to enter Congregation Hall.

temporary photo studios

The mace bearers led the procession of academic dignitaries and the presiding figure of the Vice Chancellor (resplendent in yellow and red robes) up to the stage where a highly decorative wooden chair was his temporary throne.

 

Then followed speeches and a procession of several hundred undergraduates, who crossed the stage momentarily grasped the Vice Chancellor’s and hand and disappeared off the other side instantaneously transformed from undergraduates into graduates, possessors of a parchment that conferred on them the title of Bachelor of Science in Business Management (or similar).

 

Afterwards, it was party time for the students, and a rush to dispose of jackets, neckties and high-heeled shoes. Amazingly, as we walked about I was hailed by a former work colleague who recognised me - although we had last met some 35+ years ago; he was attending his daughter’s graduation and left me with the slightly-worrying thought: did I look this decrepit 35+ years ago?

' O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us

To see oursels as ithers see us!'