Plaudits and Pizza

Yesterday was a good day, a brilliant day: I graduated from Open University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. My journey started in 2001 when I did an “Open to Change” course and ended (for the time being) with Level 3 Renaissance Art Revisited in which I achieved a final overall score of 80%. The journey had highs and lows: I had to withdraw from one course as the workload was too much for me and I was often unable to complete all the necessary reading for the Level 2 and 3 courses, BUT I made it and yesterday was the day it all lead up to :)

My motivations for doing a degree changed over the years. Initially it was to get the degree that I had been unable to get at 18-19, because my parents separated and divorced and because I wasn’t ready at the time. Then I was undermined by my boyfriend (ex-husband) and my life took a different path of accountancy exams that I didn’t really want to do, but just ended up doing. I eventually stopped those studies and exams when my 2nd hubby, Martin, and I found I was finally pregnant after a couple of years of marriage – it’s our 15th Wedding Anniversary this year :) Despite hating my professional exams, I had achieved the dubious honour of being a part qualified accountant with no real experience of auditing, being involved in insolvency work, rather than ledgers, double entry accounting, “T” accounts and trial balances – yuck. But I would learn to love this, and find out that no learning experience is ever really wasted ;)

When I had to withdraw from Level 2 Reading Classical Latin in 2008, I reached my lowest point. I could see no light at the end of the tunnel as I was working towards a BA in Humanities with Art History and Classical Studies, and had several years worth of courses (and at least £2,000 more to spend) to get to that. But the good thing about the Open University is its flexibility and the credits transfers you can for previous academic study – here’s where the hated accountancy comes in. For a BA in Humanities of any sort, I needed another 180 points, with 120 required at the highest level – effectively 2 Level 3 courses. But the University has an alternative degree option – the Open Degree – towards which I could use more of my accountancy credits, and for that I only needed to study only one further course, at Level 3 – with me so far LOL? Completion of the Renaissance Art Revisited course gave me that and I received my degree certificate by post at the beginning of the year. But I definitely wanted to go to my graduation ceremony to celebrate the achievement.

The venue of Birmingham’s Symphony Hall allowed me to invite my hubby and son, but also my mum and step-father and my in-laws to celebrate the day. We had to take Ethan out of school for him to attend, but that was no problem with his teachers. My mum and step-father stopped over from the Friday for the early start on Saturday, as I had to pick up my robe/gown and hood, and get the Official Photos taken, but after that we were free to meet up with parents for our own photos and some refreshments.

About 250 people were graduating, but the ICC which includes the Symphony Hall is big enough to take that and all the family supporters. We had to take our seats half an hour before the dignitaries, with me sitting with the other graduates, whilst my family sat a few rows behind. The Symphony Hall is vast and the auditorium so magnificent, that it is a spectacular venue to graduate from :) It was where Martin and I went to see Clannad play in 1996 and the support act was my now favourite singer, Brian Kennedy, and it is also where I first seen John Barrowman in Concert in 2008.

After a musical interlude, the dignitaries processed onto the stage and the conferment began. I hadn’t felt nervous until then – I had been nervous a few days ago, but until I put my gown and hood on, it didn’t feel real, but then it felt I was destined to wear the robes – a graduate graduating. The stage was ablaze with the different colours of the robes, a rainbow of learning, and including the Lord Mayor of Birmingham and his Mayoress.

The Vice Chancellor welcomed everyone and he was such a welcoming person as he presented an envelope to each graduate as they were called up to the stage. The first to receive his congratulations were those gaining Masters Degrees. The atmosphere was fun, uplifting and unstuffy, with some relatives cheering as their graduate took to the stage. It was a great recognition of individual and family support efforts, for the Vice Chancellor would stop for a few seconds when a large cheer went to find the supporters or family members, and turn towards them so that photos could be taken. Some people had travelled a long way – Scotland, Wales, my mum said she heard people say – but the ceremony was unlike the graduation I attended as a family supporter over 20 years ago. Yes they got through the numbers but there was no feeling of being part of a conveyor belt: everyone got as much or as little time as they wanted. Soon my turn was approaching and I kept thinking “Don’t trip”. We were directed to the stage side, and as you walked up the stairs to receive your award, there was a gentleman ensuring that all the robes and hoods looked their best for your moment. I stood there waiting my turn to hand over the card we were all given at registration to present for announcement of our name and award. This was the moment – my highest qualification, one of the reasons why I resolved the legal aspects of my name – to be seen as a Julie. I was announced and walked across to the Vice Chancellor, as he extended a friendly hand of welcome – the Vice Chancellor was unable to shake hands with his right hand.

My family cheered and I only remember the Vice Chancellor asking if I enjoyed my courses, to which I said that I was glad that they were over, as they had been hard, but was glad to have my degree. He said to each graduate “Enjoy your day” or “Go out and celebrate your day” which might have said insincere from someone else, but you knew that he truly meant it.

Then as I was about to leave his company, someone dropped something heavy and there was a mixture of shock and laughter. I was thinking “Thank God, it wasn’t me.”

And then, my time had finished…

I was the last of the BAs awarded, but they then went onto the BScs and Foundation Degrees and finally one PCE. As I took my seat, I saw a familiar face on the stage, seeing for the first one of my tutors along my journey – my intro to humanities tutor David, and my graduation felt even more special as he had been so helpful The Vice Chancellor then spoke to the assembly and he acknowledged the personal and family sacrifices he was aware that we all made to get the work done to end with our graduation and that hit home with me and I cried. He said we could now help with the washing up and our children could now turn the personal volumes up as the work was done for today at least. We were again applauded and given the opportunity to applaud the OU and our families for the support given. And then we were asked to join the procession of dignitaries to process out as graduates :)

I exited the auditorium and tried to speak to my ex-tutor but couldn’t see him, and after a few minutes, I saw Martin and waved. He came rushing up to me, buried himself and me in his arms, with tears starting to roll, and whispered through the tears, “I’m so proud of you”. Ethan joined us as my tears started again and we had a family hug :) Our parents joined us and hugged me saying “Well done”. We made our way back to return my gown but I had paid to keep my hood. Using the OU stick pin I had been given whilst waiting for refreshments before the ceremony, I pinned my hood to my dress and left the ICC to find Pizza Express on the Waterfront, where I had booked a table for 7 just a few days before, and so it was with pizzas and salads we celebrated and with luscious desserts and coffees we chatted about the day. It was one amazing day and I decided that I would write to thank my ex-tutor to keep him informed as promised those many years ago when my journey was still relatively new:

Dear David

Just a note to say that I saw you attending this morning's degree ceremony at Birmingham at which I graduated with a BA Open - you were my tutor 4-5 years ago for the Introduction to Humanities course. I just wanted to say thank you for your support then (I had and am still recovering from depression and had concentration problems). My degree journey was difficult at times - not all my tutors on the way were so helpful as you - but I wished to say thank you and to keep you informed as requested :)

Best wishes


Julie Williamson