Yet Another Master's Degree

On the advice of an unnamed professor, I decided to participate in the graduate student graduation program this spring since I finished all of the requirements for the Master's Degree in Sociology this winter - supposedly "everyone" would be there. Well, I was the only one from my department who showed up for the Master's portion, but it was still interesting despite coughing up $75 for the gown rental.

Most memorable was what I observed during the PhD "hoodings", where each PhD graduate has their name read, then their advisor places a velvet/satin sash thing (for some reason called a hood) over their heads. My outfit actually had a "hood" too, but at the MA level you put it on yourself before the ceremony. Weird stuff. Anyway, the really interesting thing was the way advisors and graduates interacted immediately after the hooding. There was a very clear gender difference. If it was a female student, the advisor would hug her just after putting on the hood. If it was a female advisor, she would hug the graduate (whether male or female). BUT, if it was a male student with a male advisor, they would shake hands like adults who respected each other professionally. So you can guess which one I will insist on!

Here's me and Paul right after the ceremony.