May 9th!!

With graduation right around the corner for this year's UNCG graduates (tomorrow at 10am), I had a dream that my famiy came to see me graduate (hopefully that happens 1 year from today!!).  I woke up as we all were in a panic since we were stuck in a mob of people and were unable to get to the auditorium on time.  For a moment, I thought I had missed my graduation before I realized it was just a dream.  Whew!

Dream or no dream, this led me to a question.

Where should we go to celebrate after the graduation?!  The ceremony will end in early afternoon.

I remember mulling over this question and considering it as a big deal when I graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, my undergraduate college.  I scouted out places in Pittsburgh as I student taught in western PA and bounced ideas off my supervising teacher.  I mentioned a few places to my parents.  Restaurants were either too far away, too expensive, or too time-consuming with having to drive into IUP and then returning to Pittsburgh.  So, at the last minute, as we drove away from campus and back to Pittsburgh, the family selected Old Country Buffett in Robinson Township. 

When I graduated from Kutztown University with my Master's Degree, four years later, I didn't walk or participate in the graduation ceremony.  I had finished my last class on June 30th and graduation was not until December just before the holidays during a busy time of the year for us teachers.  No party or gathering was held upon completion of my Master's program.

That won't be the case come May 9, 2014!!


I will be celebrating the completion of this journey!!!  Do we do this in NC or in PA?  Having no clue where I will be working (will I have a job lined up or will I still be interviewing?!), it would probably make more sense to do it in NC immediately after the graduation itself.  4 times in the last 2 weeks, I was asked when would I be having my PhD party by family/friends...I suppose people have graduation on their minds since it's that time of year or maybe they feel that I should be done now (I wouldn't be opposed to being done in 3 vs. 4 years..ha!).  So I guess the dream I had was my subconscious already looking forward to what will most certainly be a joyous occasion....which leads me to my question of where shall we go???

Knowing my family, there will be at least 16 family members attending.  I don't know if any Pennsylvania friends will make the trip down or if any friends in NC will be coming by nor do I know for certain if any of my colleagues from UNCG will be making an appearance.  Hopefully Dr. Klein will still be available to come and I'm thinking this just might be the event when Dr. Compton will meet everyone as well!  So, if the party is held outside my brother's house at a restaurant, it would need to be able to hold all of my brood.  If we stay with my brother's family's home, from where shall we order food?  If we go to a place of business in the Triad area, where shall we choose? 

Before you all think I'm crazy and a control freak for pondering these things now, exactly 1 year before the date I will walk across that stage, I'm just speculating here and seeking out advice.  I'm not actually looking to make the reservations now....I won't do that until January 2014..ha, just kidding!  ;) 

So, I welcome your suggestions/advice and am excited to hear them!  I have a few possibilities in mind but want to hear your ideas!!  In the meantime, here is some humor I stumbled upon when searching for a festive graduation image to insert in this posting..hehe.



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Of course I had to include this one...look where the University is behind the "scholar".....YORK!?