I am graduating this week but I wasn’t going to tell anyone about it. I wasn’t going to bother tuning into my virtual conferring. I wasn’t going to share the link to the online ceremony with family and friends. As I’ve had 2 conferrings previously, (admittedly they were over 25 years ago), I felt this time wasn’t such a big deal.
I thought the online event would be an appropriate substitute for anyone graduating for the first time and that they should rightly be honoured and congratulated. But given that my new Masters is in Teaching & Learning and I work in academia, I didn’t think it needed any fanfare. I felt too busy to watch a virtual event. I am online all day, why would I add to my list of things to watch on a screen?
The more I thought about this, the more I realised I was wrong. In our current challenging times, we should take every opportunity we can to celebrate success and good news. If I were talking to someone else being conferred this week, I would be advising them to make sure to tune into their virtual ceremony and mark the occasion of their graduation in some way.
I have decided to take this advice myself.
But how can I celebrate or mark the occasion given that all the usual ways we celebrate are off limits for now?
Then like a lightbulb of inspiration, I thought I’ll write a blog about it! (Because I like writing, – top tip by the way, it’s good to like writing if you decide to do a Masters). So I have given myself the gift of the time to think about my Masters journey and allowed myself the chance to write about what this celebration means to me.
I have often been present at graduation ceremonies when my former students were being conferred. I always feel very happy for the students and proud that I have been part of their progress.
Hopefully, things will be no different for me. If you are a student I once taught and you’re reading this, then I hope that you might feel proud of the contribution you have made to my journey.
When I started lecturing first, I was blown away by the dedication of mature students taking courses by night. After a full day at work, these students came to college from 6pm to 10pm, 2 or 3 nights a week. They were engaged and hardworking. I have met many of them since (including at conferring ceremonies) and none of them regret their efforts. These students helped me realise that it was possible to have a full time job and study if you were dedicated and interested enough.
Other students who came straight from secondary school conveyed to me their wonder and enthusiasm for their course. They were excited about what the future might hold for them. I am still in touch with many of these students and I’m delighted to see their developing careers. These students further nudged my curiosity towards undertaking fresh studies.
As I progressed through modules related to teaching practice, curriculum design, assessment, teaching with technology and many others, the students gave me motivation, encouragement and feedback. Last semester, first year students contributed to the research I was conducting for my final Masters paper. I am very grateful to them. Hopefully, they learnt as much from me as I did from them.
When I started this journey, many people asked me why I was doing another Masters. They wondered was it a lot of work and did I really need to do it? Well it was a lot of work and no I didn’t need to do it. However, if I draw upon a concept from my previous field of study (economics), the benefits have far outweighed the costs.
Learning how to use technology to create an interactive quiz was challenging, but it means I now have the ability to create engaging resources in my teaching. Drafting and re-drafting essays felt torturous but with every iteration my writing and output improved. My ability to reflect and have a 360-degree view of something has made massive advances. Overall, the content I learnt is excellent, giving me an insight into best practice in all areas of Teaching and Learning. However, I have gained the most through the experience of being a student again. The process of inquiry, asking questions, evaluating answers and reflecting has been transformative. If you are frustrated by public health restrictions and missing some of your regular hobbies, undertaking a new course may just be one of the best decisions you make!
I can’t finish this blog without mentioning my own class-mates who were great company on this academic journey. When I say I laughed and I cried with them, that is no exaggeration! I want to congratulate my fellow graduates in the class of 2020 and wish everyone still studying towards their qualification, the greatest of success.
I owe a massive thank you to my family who have supported me through late nights, early mornings, despair and elation.
My final word of thanks is to my own lecturers. Each one of them was supportive and encouraging but my supervisor, (also the overall course coordinator) was a great source of inspiration. He epitomises all that is brilliant in academia and I will be forever grateful for his mentorship and support.
So class of 2020, whether it’s writing a blog, taking a photograph, drawing a picture, listening to a song or whatever it is you like to do, allow yourself some time to celebrate your success and take pride in your achievement! And if you’re trying to contact me tomorrow afternoon, I will be busy watching a screen and allowing myself to reflect on my hard work and accomplishment.
Feature Image Credit: Leon Wu via Unsplash
Sinead Huskisson 