It wasn’t entirely clear whether Eliza would have her degree scripts marked in time for her planned graduation ceremony or, indeed whether there would be any ceremony at all, but a couple of weeks before the date pencilled into our diaries, Eliza learned that she had, in fact, been awarded her MA from Edinburgh.
You will have read about the nationwide marking strike, and Edinburgh University was one of the worst affected, it seems. So many students with job offers contingent on attaining certain grades were left not knowing whether they would be awarded any grade at all. This particular cohort had already endured two years of isolation and online teaching because of the pandemic and now a further year without lectures because of striking staff. Eliza received no support for her SEN in her final year and was told just to get on with it. It certainly wasn’t the mind-opening experience that university is supposed to be, although she has certainly made the best of it and forged an interestimg CV. She was happy to finish her degree but it did make us wonder what exactly these students had paid for.
On the day some students wore pink protest sashes and some refused to shake the Vice Chancellor’s hand and displayed signs in support of settling the strike as they stomped across the McEwan Hall stage. I’m the last one to criticise protest but it did sadden me a little that the shine had been taken off their day in this way.
The McEwan Hall looked splendid for the occasion, as did all of the graduands, and they, if not their parents, had obviously become accustomed to the chilly Edinburgh climate by now. I have mixed memories of my graduations and I don’t think John even had one. James also eschewed his big day in Montrea, though happily celebrated his girlfriend’s with her family. Although our family doesn’t go in hugely for this sort of pomp and circumstance it was good to mark the end of this chapter with a flourish.
Eliza will be staying in Edinburgh for the forseeable future. She has her two day jobs and her charity window and, of course, her drag performances to keep her busy there. As for the next chapter, who knows?