Bye for now!

It’s officially the end of the year which means two things: exam results and time to say goodbye. Whether you’re packing up your room in anticipation of moving somewhere else for the next academic year, or packing up your things once and for all, we hope you've had a great year!

 

If you’re joining Essex in September, I’m sure you’re starting to get very excited as there is so much to look forward to. University life can often fly by so quickly, so make sure you make the most of your time here and enjoy all of the wonderful things Essex has to offer you. If, like me, you’re leaving once and for all, good luck for the future and don’t forget to come back and visit!

Our students will continue to keep you up to date with everything Essex related over the next academic year too, so do continue to check out future blog posts, especially if you’re missing the ducks that wander around the squares or want to reminisce about the first time you took the lift in the library (new students: you’ll see what I mean soon enough!).

Have a great summer!

Amy

Graduation Day!

So the exam period is nearly up, and for some this signals the end of the academic year; for others, the end of their time at Essex. Even if your time at university has finished and it’s time to find a job, never mind because you still have Graduation day to look forward to! Yes, it’s the day that every student (and their parents) dreams about. No more essays to submit or exams to revise for, and proof that we didn’t actually spend all our time at university sleeping! So what can you actually expect when you officially graduate from Essex? Will you actually get to throw your hat in the air like they do in the movies?

First of all, you won’t be graduating with every single finalist. Can you imagine how long the ceremony would take?! There are separate ceremonies that take place throughout the week, so you’ll just be with your school or department, and possibly a couple of other departments too. The ceremony takes about 2 hours, and the fun part where you walk up to the front of the hall and shake the Chancellors hand will only last a few seconds, so yes, you will have to sit through the whole thing even if you are the first person called up! After the ceremony takes place, there will be a reception outside for you to celebrate with your friends, family and tutors, and the iconic hat-throwing tradition will finally happen!

Every year, Essex honours certain people who have made a big impact in all sorts of ways, for example they might have campaigned for human rights or perhaps they’ve influenced education in some way, so you might be lucky enough to have one of these special people being honoured in your ceremony too! This year, along with a few others, Essex will be honouring Annie Lennox due to her political and social activism, as well as Laura Trott, who you might have seen participating in numerous cycling competitions in the Olympics last year and winning gold medals for Great Britain. So if you do have an honorary graduand at your ceremony, it will definitely make your graduation day extra special and memorable.

The ceremony is filmed and made into a DVD, as well as being streamed live online, so wherever your friends or family might be in the world, they can still be a part of your special day. Essex wouldn’t be what it is without the many different nationalities that make up its student population, so if the country you’re from has a national dress that you want to wear on the day, you can!

Although a word of advice to the ladies: if you decide to wear high heels, just make sure you can walk in them first. You don’t want to trip on the stairs and fall flat on your face in front of your friends, family, and every other person sitting at home watching it online…or have to relive it when you watch the DVD in years to come…

Whether you are graduating this year or in a few years to come, I hope you enjoy bidding Essex one final farewell as a student. See you at alumni weekend?

Amy