I agreed to be the guest speaker at the graduation for a graduate-school program. Students, families, and teachers will be present, about 60 people total. All the grads are getting the same degree. I have a similar degree and now I work in the field which they will be (trying to) work in. (It's a competitive, low-paying field, and the students are well aware of that fact.)
I do guest lectures all the time at university classes, sort of like career-day presentations, but I get the feeling I should be talking about big-picture stuff, be optimistic and empowering and inspiring or whatever. Thing is, I don't know how to do that, but I want to make sure the audience gets something useful from my speech. How do I best approach (and format) a 30 minute graduation speech? It's in 1 week.
posted by Jason and Laszlo
on May 8, 2013 -
17 answers
Okay, so I am a community college faculty member who is supposed to wear my academic regalia to our graduation ceremony next Saturday. I've got my gown and hood, but I can't find my stupid mortarboard anywhere. My wife has hers, but as her noggin is significantly smaller than my enormous melon, when I put it on it looks like I'm being sucked into a wormhole head first. So what I need is: a) a basic shiny black academic cap and tassel, b) that fits giant heads, c) at low cost, d) delivered in the next eight days. I've found places on line where I can do this for $45. Is there a way to do it for $20?
posted by Pater Aletheias
on May 2, 2013 -
14 answers
My nephew is turning 18 in a week. He is graduating from high school in June. He has no idea what he wants for a gift for either event.
tl;dr: What might a socially active gaming-nerd turned forestry major find useful or enjoy before or during his first year away from home? What do you get for the guy who's pretty content with anything he gets?
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posted by tllaya
on Apr 20, 2013 -
14 answers
The majority of my friends are in medical school and are graduating this year. I'm a baker and wanted to give them all small gifts that are cute/tasty/medical or graduation-related. The only thing I could think of is decorated cookies (I do shortbread or brownie cookies) but any suggestions on shapes? Nothing too complicated, please!
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posted by picarosado
on Mar 29, 2013 -
12 answers
Looking for movies with a classic graduate cap toss: the speech is over, the plot comes to a pleasing conclusion, and then everybody, preferably the whole school, takes their hats off and tosses them in the air, in slo-mo. The sky is blue, it's a stock photography moment. What are movies or TV shows with this oh-so-cliche scene?
posted by saysthis
on Mar 24, 2013 -
15 answers
Lots of life changes: graduated from college, different relationship, became a freelancer all in the last year. Feeling aimless, nostalgic, and in need of some perspective.
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posted by happyjuice
on Jan 9, 2013 -
10 answers
I just accepted my first real job offer! I'm excited, but kind of freaking out about adjusting to a traditional working lifestyle.
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posted by circumspice
on Jan 8, 2013 -
49 answers
How do I plan for or learn to cope with huge changes in my life this year that include graduating university, getting married, moving cross country? (sorry long!!)
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posted by snowysoul
on Nov 2, 2012 -
3 answers
What goes on an academic CV, especially when one doesn't exactly have a huge academic history to draw from?
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posted by Scientist
on Oct 11, 2012 -
7 answers
I am graduating next May (2013) with a Bachelors of Science in Applied Computing Technology from Colorado State University. I have 3 years IT & Network Support experience and just about 2.5 years web development experience through Student positions. I've done the whole freelance thing for the last 5 years as a Wordpress theme guy. How do I approach getting a full time job after college?
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posted by snow_mac
on Jul 17, 2012 -
9 answers
Several years ago, my husband's close friend died suddenly. Now the friend's oldest son is graduating from high school, and his wife asked my husband (and others) to pass on some personal accumulated wisdom and memories. What kinds of things should we address?
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posted by Madamina
on Jun 22, 2012 -
14 answers
Graduation time! How can I make my own semi-fancy/straight-up-fancy graduation invitations?
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posted by apip
on Jun 15, 2012 -
6 answers
Where can I get affordable college grad pictures, complete with cap (if applicable?) and gown, in Toronto?
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posted by windykites
on May 28, 2012 -
3 answers
I am graduating this weekend with a BA in History. I wrote a senior honors thesis and really loved the process of conducting research. Is there a way I can continue researching next year, while I'm not in school?
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posted by sockysocksock
on May 11, 2012 -
15 answers
Any suggestions for a restaurant in Baltimore where we can have (just) dessert for ~20 people following the Goucher graduation? A reservation would be ideal to assuage the stress of relatives.
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posted by brackish.line
on May 9, 2012 -
5 answers
I am in my 7th year of a science Ph.D. at MIT and I need to graduate. I have invested an incredible amount of time and energy in this process, and I definitely have a Ph.D. level of skills and knowledge by now. 7 years is not outside the norm for my department. The problem is that a number of circumstances occurring in a row have lead to a bad/toxic relationship with my advisor and slow performance on my part.
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posted by anonymous
on May 7, 2012 -
11 answers
Graduation gift for a close friend getting their masters in education? (More inside)
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posted by anonymous
on May 2, 2012 -
6 answers
My nephew will be graduating next month from medical school in PA, then going off to a seven-year (!) neurosurgery residency in CA. In honor of the occasion, I plan to give him a check along with some sort of goofy and memorable gag gift but my brain is fried. Can you give me some ideas and (if applicable) links? About him: He's tall with an athletic build (I swear he must have been adopted!), a runner, has a girlfriend, loves goofy and quirky stuff, and will do or wear most anything on a dare.
posted by DrGail
on Apr 13, 2012 -
7 answers
My sister is graduating from law school. I've just realized I should probably get her a gift. But what?!
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posted by anonymous
on Apr 10, 2012 -
17 answers
My brother graduates from high school this summer. I want to get him some fun gifts that will keep him entertained and might also help him navigate the post-HS waters. More about him inside. Gift ideas appreciated.
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posted by riddler
on Jan 17, 2012 -
13 answers
Please help me make a plan to deal with the aftermath of this episode of severe depression. For various reasons I would really prefer not to be enrolled in college
again next semester. It's long, I'm sorry, but I wrote this too quickly to pare things out.
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posted by bilabial
on Nov 30, 2011 -
12 answers
Ideas for my nursing schools pinning ceremony?? I was thinking about video thank you's during the individual pinning ...
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posted by learninguntilidie
on Oct 5, 2011 -
4 answers
I have a dream of becoming an anthropologist someday. The problem is I don't know what I should focus on.
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posted by mind2body
on Jul 31, 2011 -
11 answers
I'm an unemployed PhD! Wheeeee!!!! What can I do to ensure that I won't be homeless next month?
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posted by anonymous
on Jul 20, 2011 -
36 answers
I will graduate from college in a week. Two weeks ago, I got an email from an institution that I had done a job interview with saying, "We would like to move forward in the process" and asking to do a background check on me. I filled out the paperwork and faxed it back immediately. They still haven't gotten back to me. (I know my background is clean, as I've passed two other background checks recently.) How good should I feel about my prospects here? Was I wrong in assuming that the background check was a prelude to an employment offer?
posted by anonymous
on Jun 6, 2011 -
11 answers
I'm looking for a graduation gift for a math and geology nerd. My best friend just got dual bachelor's degrees. She's going to grad school for geophysics in the fall. I know approximately zero about her areas of study and would like to get her something nice.
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posted by desjardins
on May 26, 2011 -
15 answers
Buying a Kindle as a gift for a new high school grad going on to college (Yale). To 3G or not to 3G? I would imagine that on campus WiFi is ubiquitous, and so 3G isn't required? Personally, I love my WiFi-only Kindle, but I'm a techy who swims in WiFi waves 24/7. This grad is a non-techy classics major.
posted by schrodycat
on May 22, 2011 -
45 answers
My wife doesn't get along with my sister. My sister is graduating. My wife discovers that I am buying her a graduation gift without her knowledge. She is upset I went behind her back. Where do I go from here?
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posted by anonymous
on May 19, 2011 -
71 answers
I have a niece graduating from high school in June who after years of study is fluent in Japanese. I'd like to send her a congratulatory card (with appropriate negotiable supplementation) that's written in Japanese. Can anyone point me to an on-line resource for such a card? Also, could anyone tell me if there are any traditional Japanese graduation gifts (similar to what a pen and pencil set would be in the USA)?
Thanks in advance.
posted by Jamesonian
on May 6, 2011 -
2 answers
Please suggest gifts for a young adult with ADHD who is graduating high school and entering a university horticulture program.
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posted by anonymous
on Apr 12, 2011 -
15 answers
I am considering writing a senior honors thesis. Please help me work through the various worries I have so I can make a decision.
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posted by pecknpah
on Apr 1, 2011 -
22 answers
Recommendations for Vermont-based writers, artists, intellectuals, jack/jill of all trades folks that might be willing to speak (for free, or nominal fee) at our graduate program graduation ceremony?
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posted by ajarbaday
on Mar 8, 2011 -
19 answers
Graduation approaches, and the need for direction and finding a job I want feels ever more acute. Help me figure out what kind of work I want and how to go about getting it.
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posted by resiny
on Mar 1, 2011 -
11 answers
I'm graduating from college, hooray! Now help me announce it in the most amusing, unique, and creative way possible.
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posted by WidgetAlley
on Feb 28, 2011 -
7 answers
My maternal grandmother passed away 5 months ago and my uncle has taken charge of handling her inheritance with her lawyer. He hasn't given any updates or information on how the process is going since his initial email 5 months ago, in which he told me that my grandmother had passed and that I would receive inheritance. How can I ask him to hurry up?
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posted by anonymous
on Feb 27, 2011 -
18 answers
I am graduating university next semester. I would like to get involved in civic engagement at some capacity. Can I get recommendation of companies / foundations to apply to for jobs and internships. i.e. See Click Fix, Code for America. I have no programming experience (as of yet) but I am extremely sociable, have been selling all my life so I do have something to offer. I am intrigued by the idea of individual initiative to solve problems in the community
posted by happydude123
on Feb 25, 2011 -
2 answers
