Our Future Is So Bright!
23 May 2003
Radio City Music Hall
New York, NY
I packed my life and drove it to New York City as the 2003 blackout plagued the city and surrounding areas. Even at the end of my first year, I would silently congratulate myself as I emerged from a subway staircase in Lower Manhattan. From the first time I visited the City as a 13-year-old desperately trying to find an out from the hells of the Deep South, I knew that I needed to make it my home some day. Luckily, I got here sooner than later.
Pace University certainly has its downfalls and I am intimately related with most if not all. Despite these shortfalls, I have no regrets of my decision to come here. I came thanks to the money and the location but, as I have told countless incoming students, I stayed here because of the passion and dedication of my peers and faculty.
Like my time at the University, it only figures so much that graduation itself would be nothing short of an adventure. Our plans changed numerous times and that was only between my family at first. Is everyone coming? Just my mom? My parents? My mom and brother? Oh, grandmother, too? The day before she flew, they settled. Only my mom was coming because my brother broke his clavical and my dad needed to stay behind to take care of him.
Then came the decision of whether my mom would stay in New Jersey with my aunt or with me? She stayed with me. At 2 a.m. – just a few hours before we would rise to ready for the day – my brother called. He was frantic. He thought he had lost his wallet, which included his credit card and driver’s license. It was in his room.
Tyler, Cat, and I had decided to meet by 8:15 at the Prospect Park station for the B train. Accessing it is a simple one stop from the Franklin Avenue 2/3/4/5 station for Cat and I. For Tyler, it’s an additional stop from the Park Place station. Tyler has his own stories to tell about his morning (several change of clothings, dropping of tickets for friends are only two of the hijinks). Finally, we all arrived at the train station between 8:30 and 8:45.
Graduates were expected at Radio City by 9:00. We figured we had plenty of time. Both the B and Q trains are what I call super express. However, a Q train was simply sitting in the station because a Manhattan-bound B train was stalled stations ahead. After waiting for about seven minutes, we decided to switch to the S train to catch the C (to 50th and 8th Avenue), but just as we were settling into the S, the Q announced it was leaving the station. We rushed into it. The train stopped at 7th Avenue and stalled again. That was enough for us to race upstairs and catch a cab.
We emerged from the cab at 49th Street and Sixth Avenue to a herd of polyester blue – our fellow graduates. Because we were too cool to travel in our gowns, this was the time to put them on. Before running inside, we snapped a few pictures to remember what we looked like before we entered the “real world.”
We rushed inside to stand among a throng of look-a-likes. Hunger pangs overwhelmed our bellies so I attempted to go behind the counter to get us some beverages. I spent too much time deciding and was busted by Radio City authorities. This would not have been my last tangle with them. Finally, we located some stale danishes and muffins, orange juice, and cold coffee. Pacetastic! On the outside world, things looked like this:
After spending much too long attempting to line-up, the precession finally begun. I was in between Tyler and Cat with Anel and Judith nearby. Our honorary degrees were awarded to Eugene Lang, Jean Fagan Yellin, and William C. Thompson. Most people enjoyed William C. Thompson (he was the longest speaker so I wasn’t the biggest fan). I felt bad for Jean Fagan Yellin who said she joined academia so she could change the fact that it was comprised overwhelmingly of white men. I guess she didn’t look behind her. My favourite, of course, was Eugene Lang, not because his speech was the shortest but because he didn’t take himself too seriously. I’m becoming increasingly fond of those who can take a step back.
Then, it was our turn. I fumbled across the stage after my hat fell off as I passed Caputo. That damn hat!
We finished in under two hours and high-tailed out of Radio City. This is where I had my second interaction with Radio City security. I tried to open a second door since thousands of people were attempting to exit the building. It was locked. A security guard approached me, ushering me toward the open door. I asked why we couldn’t open the second door. He insisted me toward the open door, saying, “I’m just trying to do my job.”
Finally, we were outside. Free!
