Mei Guan's convocation on 21st August 2015

Let’s recall my convocation on 21^st August 2015! I really wish that I could put it in words as details as possible so that I can remember it forever. “It is just like a dream, it ended so quickly” quoted from my friend.

I went to Kampar together with my family just one day before my convocation. I was still working on Thursday itself. I came back at 630pm and met up with my family at 715pm at economic rice shop which is my family’s favorite. Then, I went back to my hostel to take a bath and then we departed at 815pm. It’s about 3 hours journey from KL to Kampar. We reached our relative’s house at 12am something. We were so tired but I couldn’t sleep well. Perhaps I was too excited for my convocation. Thank you my mummy for ironing the gown for me. I set the alarm at 5am. Yes, I managed to wake up at 5am. I took a bath and my mummy helped me to make up. It’s quite time consuming actually. We don’t even have time to have our breakfast. Initially, we were planning to have breakfast outside. However, we really don’t have time to do so. At the end, we just had a very light meal which was prepared by my Aunt. We had biscuit and milo as our simple breakfast. I kept on saying that “we are running out of time”. It’s about 720am already and I was still at my Aunt’s house. OMG! We quickly rush to UTAR grand hall. As expected, many graduands with their family have arrived. We were quite late actually. I quickly ran to Block N, the location of robing room. I ran to registration counter and signed. Luckily, I know the procedure quite well as I became the registration helper before. Then, I went to the robing room. Everyone was queuing up. I was the only one who haven’t dressed up. I was so nervous and I asked one of the officer that whether there’s someone can help me to dress up. He asked one helper at the behind of the room to help me to dress up. Finally, I was ready to queue up. Once I dressed up, then it’s time to queue up outside the robing room. I was so regret that I don’t have time to capture some moments before queuing up. A helper passed to me another card. That’s about the details of my course.

When it was about 8am, we started to walk towards the hall. I felt a bit awkward when I walked to the hall. I just felt that my gown was just too long, causing me to feel so uncomfortable to walk. The feeling was great when we walked towards the hall. There were some people watching us and taking pictures. When we arrived in front of the hall, we queued up again. I was standing at the front of others. Thus, I was able to see my friends passing by, including KehXin, JieShi, HuiRu and Denise. I saw our president too. He took photo with those PhD graduands. How I wish I could be one of them taking photo with president. Then, suddenly a girl approached me. I was too surprised. She took a form for me to sign and said that they will send my stage photos back to my secondary school if I agreed on it. This was just because I get first class honors for my course. So, I realized why I got the call from UTAR asking me about my secondary school. Of course, I signed the letter. Wow! I wondered what will be their response when they received my stage photos. When we were standing in front of the hall, I heard some guys complaining that it’s so hot and how they wish they could enter the hall to enjoy the air-cond.

Then, it’s time to go into the hall. This was my first time walking on the red carpet. I felt like I am a super star. I was surprised that guests were allowed to sit at downstairs. When I walked to my seat, I saw SuChing and I smile to her. She helped me to take photo when I walked on the red carpet. I sit quite near to the stage. It’s just 4^th row from the stage. Thus, I guess I didn’t have to wait too long to go to the stage to receive the scroll. After we settled down, many of us started to look at the book. Actually, there’s nothing special inside. It’s just a book full of name of graduands for all session of 3 days. Well, my name appeared 5 times in the book. Haha. Then, I noticed I am the only one who get honors with distinction for my course. Wow. There are total of 77 first class students among 2280 graduands.

Mei Guan

The convocation started. The one who sit beside me was an Indian girl who is Journalism graduates. The other one was a guy from my course but I never see him before. The convocation started with the arrival of VIPs. After the VIPs went to the stage, the song of Negaraku was being played. My feeling was so strong when the song was playing. I felt like this might be my last time singing Negaraku. After the song was being played, it continued with the speech by VIPs including our president. The content of their speeches were mainly about advises for us. They asked us not to stop learning and we are the one who choose our own career. Also, they asked us not to forget the efforts of our parents put on us. As usual, our president will ask graduands to stand up and turn back and bounce to our parents. I felt so touched as well. Besides, our president was sharing about the recent development of UTAR. After the very long speeches, it’s time for us to go to the stage to receive our scroll. In fact, I was not ready yet to go to the stage. We started queuing up and ready to the stage. The workers of the PhotoRex also helped us to tidy up our gown before we went to the stage. They also remind us that we must look at the “right” camera and smile. I asked my Aunt to help me to record video as well. I looked at her and smile. My family sit at upstairs. It’s so far from me but I could still spot them.

 Our faculty dean was the one who announced our name whereas one of the VIPs gave the scroll to us. I tried to walk as slow as I could. I walked towards the VIP and smile. The VIP said congratulations and shake hand with me. I said thank you and we took a memorable photo. How I wish the time stop at there. Then, I walked slowly and look at another camera. When I went down from the stage, I got a ticket from PhotoRex. There’s number for me to collect my photos. I walked a big round to go back to my seat. I felt like I am those who participate in Beauty competition, walking around the hall. Luckily, I still able to watch my friends went to the stage to receive their scroll, including KehXin, JieShi, PueiPuei, and Denise. After the first part of distributing scroll, there’s a performance by 2 guys. They sing 2 songs including Jalur Gemilang and another song. While they were singing, a video clip was being played. It shows UTAR student life at Kampar. I felt touched and I don’t dare to look at the video. I wanted to control myself. There were just too much of memories in Kampar. Yet, it is past and we can’t chase back.

Then, it’s second part of the convocation in which students from FEGT, FSc, FICT received their scroll. I spot my friend from FEGT too. After that, there’s another performance by 1 girl and 1 guy. The girl is Joanne Lai! Finally, I met her in UTAR. She was the winner of “chan ku yi ding” competition 8 years ago. Another 2 songs being sang by them including “gan en de xin”. There’s another video being shown including our theme photo. All these songs made me think a lot. It’s really touched my heart. Then, our president asked the recipient of book prize, USSDC and etc to stand up. I was one of them! Oh yeah! Clap hand clap hand! Lastly, we sang Negaraku again before the convocation session ended. Then, we said goodbye to the VIPs. That’s the end!

So, we went out from the hall and took photos with friends! It’s so difficult to spot my friend because there was a big crowd outside the hall. All graduands were looking for their family and friends! It’s even no use to call because everyone is busying on their phone too. The first person who I caught was “jou sen” Calvin. He was my housemate. I knew him since I moved to Kampar. The second one was KehXin, my course mate as well as FYP partner and we become good friends after that. The third one was MengSei, my course mate who shared a lot with me in studies as well as my internship friend. The fourth one is Pueipuei, my course mate as well as FYP partner and good friend. Then, Pueipuei looked for JieShi and she managed to find her. We took a photo before we found KehXin. Next is SuChing. She purposely came from Sg Long just to attend Denise and my convocation. Thanks for her flower with a UTAR bear. Then, the next one is Shue Li, my course mate as well. After that, we (Puei, JieShi, KehXin, me) took a photo. This was our first met after final examination. Next is TeikSiah and ChengAik, course mate too. I stood between them and took a photo. Then, I met ChengKai, the one who I knew during PMP. It's been quite some time we didn't meet. He's from FEGT, Environmental Engineering course. The following are CheeKai, YiHua, and CaiShi. 

Calvin & me

MengSei & me

Me, KehXin, Pueipuei & JieShi

ChengKai & me

My family & Denise's family

Hey Yue & me (Lai's family)

After taking so much of photos with friends, I took photos with my family and relatives. Thanks for WeiJack, my cousin who came to support me and became my camera man of the day. We took quite a lot of photos near the hall as well as with the "green" background. Frankly speaking, UTAR Kampar is a good place to take photos as all the background looked so nice. After all, I found that I haven't take photo with my best friend in UTAR! Yea....It's Denise. After so many calls, I was still not able to find her. Based on the information provided by her, I went to the "venue" to find her. At the end, her bf saw me and told me Denise's location. Denise's friend is so funny, asking her to cook the broccoli inside the bouquet of flower and upload the photo to FB. There's a photo of my family with Denise's family as suggested by Denise's mum. It's a nice photo indeed. After taking photos with Denise, we quickly ran to take studio photo. Initially, we were quite worried that there might be a lot of people queuing for taking photo. Who knows there's only few people...I met another course mate, CheePoh when I went to take studio photo. He just finished taking studio photo. While waiting for our turn to take studio photo, I met Hey Yue Joanne who was the champion of “Minute to Fame". I was so surprised to meet her. This was the very first time I met her in UTAR although I knew her studying in UTAR since I joined UTAR. She's from FSc, Biotechnology course. She was so happy when I told her that I have same surname with her. She said "we are family". She also asked me to send her our photo via FB and I told her I added her already. She is a nice person indeed. Then, I took individual photo as well as family photo. I purposely asked my parents to dress up nicely for the studio photo. Ahahaha...The photographer helped us to adjust our posture as well. I still have to wait for next month to collect the photos. After taking the photo, I had to return my convocation attire. At downstairs, I met MengSei again. We took photo again. He took studio photo as well. I met Pueipuei too. She was going to return convocation attire too. My mum and my Aunt were busying trying my mortar board and took photo. Meanwhile, my dad went to take his car so that we didn't have to walk to the parking lot. 

With my Aunt & parents

WeiJack, my cousin & me

When I went to heritage hall, I met Denise and Pueipuei again. What a coincidence! They were still not going back. I was just too excited to have both of them in UTAR. My best friends in UTAR! Likewise, there were not many people returned their attire. We returned it and collected our souvenirs and certificates. Then, we planned to take our themed photo but it's not ready yet. Luckily, the person in charge said we could emailed them to get the photo. Then, it's time to say byebye to my friends. We went to Tanjung Tualang to have our "lunch" after that. We had a seafood lunch for the day. It's already 3pm. We were so hungry. Luckily, my parents bought sandwiches to eat when they came out from hall. It's really tiring! 

We went back from Kampar at 5pm and we reached home at 12am. We spent some time sending my Aunt back to KL...