My friends know I am not very traditional. I am not festive. I am not into rollicking celebrations. I mean, it’s great and all but I have this general thought that parties and cookouts are somewhat superfluous. Maybe because my prudent nature automatically takes over. Indeed, it’s fun and sensational but I am not quite feeling it. Yes, call me ridiculous.
But here’s the thing: even if I’m not all fired up about festivities, it does not mean I’m not thankful. Dude, I am rabidly grateful and wrapped! It’s my most favourite feeling in the world. But most of the time, I’d like to keep it to myself.
I never had a graduation portrait done, primarily because it is just way too expensive to get one. I know, it’s very unfortunate. Interestingly, the people here are not very big on graduation photos, compared to the peeps back in Manila. They can’t seem to finish their degrees without such photos in which they’re all dolled up (yes, men included), looking dignified and illustrious.
And so it might be a little too sad to think that I don’t have one to show my kids in the future. But I’d like to convince myself, or maybe I actually believe that I do not need those, because such fancy stuff do not reflect me and my preferences. What I’d like to show my kids is how crazy and creative I could be when it comes to these “festive” photos—that there are smarter alternatives.
Well, enough of that. I did not intend to start this blogpost like that at all!
I’d like to share a few photos from my Masters graduation about a month ago. The last few weeks have been so busy that I couldn’t spend enough time just sifting thru all the photos taken on the day of the ceremony. But after almost a month, they’re here! They’re not the most “creative”, or I don’t look convincingly “illustrious”, but they’re fun to look at.


This was a few minutes before the ceremony began. It was all sunny and bright!
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Yes, my brother managed to capture this!
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Interesting fact: you’d literally have to queue up just to have a photo taken against this “prestigious” wall. The line was crazy long!
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My very proud parents. They exuded it. And I’m happy and proud that I was able to bring them honour, and give back to them now that I have started to carve my niche in the adult world.
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OK. The crazy shots start here. Our peg was some sort of a campaign for a brighter future. Seems like it worked!
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I made sure I got to take this doffing shot for my postgrad.
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My superb brother who was behind these fantastic shots. We can call him the event’s official photographer. A very well-dressed, good-looking one.
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Some of my fantastic colleagues. I honestly miss them!
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I was looking for Clancy the Lion all day, and I couldn’t find him! Maybe his shift was over. The standee didn’t quite hurt.
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This is my Moses shot.
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We surely maximised the photo opp! And I got no regrets.
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To be honest, my favourite photo out of them all!
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The Hogwarts jumpshot, of course.
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And finally, a decent looking one. I really made sure that the name of my uni was definitely included. This was the best. I feel very fortunate and privileged that I have experienced studying in an amazing scholastic environment, and met remarkable people.
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Soli Deo Gloria!
Rie Manaloto
R.