Wednesday morning it was time to make the trip up to graduation on the main campus of the University of San Fransisco. My parents, Brooke and grandpa would be joining me Thursday evening. Brennan and I started the adventure once we landed. We took the Bart to downtown SF where we planned to just walk the mile to our hotel on the wharf. Well the plan seemed flawless.. Till we started walking. The directions it gave us sent us through the heart of SF... Which means Hill after Hill.. And we both had huge rolling bags. On a positive note we found a great sushi place to eat at later that evening.
Thursday would start with another adventure when we would walk back to the Bart. Only this time without our bags and we managed to find a much flatter route. Go back to the SF airport rent our car and head over to the Oakland airport to get Brennan's parents. Once we got them we headed back over to SF we met up with Brennan's grandparents and all had a nice lunch. After lunch Brennan and I headed to campus. Which we had only been to once before on vacation in September. So after getting a bit lost we found campus as well as some parking and picked up all our graduation stuff. Got our gowns, weird hats, our hoods (aka Cape) and most importantly the tickets. We headed back to the hotel to drop it all off and meet Brennan's parents to have some coffee and catch up. We were also delaying eating dinner till my family arrived. Of course they had a delay out of SD. I mean the flight is only an hour and they were delayed longer then that. So needless to say once Brooke and Grandpa had arrived they were starving. We did all the introductions and then had a great meal at the wharf.
Friday was the big day. It was graduation day. After meeting for breakfast we all got ready to head over to campus. The day would start with a reception for all the Sport Management graduates. It was a fun mixer of sorts to get to meet every one's families. When it was time we all started getting dressed into our graduation gear.
At the reception before the graduation ceremony
Melissa and I after we got all dressed with our hoods, aka Cape!!
Cohort 11S
Like any graduation there is this big rush and then they realize that its not go time. So we had some time to chat while waiting outside the church. As well as take numerous pictures!
My best friends!!
Original SD carpool... It was also very windy
The ceremony was really nice. It was held inside the church on the USF campus which is absolutely beautiful!!! The ceremony would last only about an hour. Like all graduations it has some speakers then we were off. It was all quick. The president (or that is who we think it was) who handed us our diploma cases almost yanked me off the stage. Then when we got off the stage all the staff from our program was present to congratulate us and give some much needed hugs!
Entering into the church
Getting my MA and it is official..
Just like that it was all over we were graduates. As quickly as it started 23 months ago it was all over. It was an adventure that had its up's and downs like everything. But it was an experience and an education I would not trade for the world!!
We did it!!!
The most amazing parents in the world. Who have supported me through it all! Thank-you!!
Trying to get a picture.. And Brennan knocked off my very stylish hat!!
Grandpa even made the trip. I cant thank him enough for the support, money and oh yes GROCERIES. Without him I would have really eaten like a college student!!
Brooke helped me survive the long days and even longer nights.. Even cooked once in a while for me. Always the same amazing meals :) Love you Brooke!!!
After graduation we would all head to the wharf for a great dinner of more fresh sea food. Brennan would have crab and I would have a lobster tail. I mean today was the last day our parents are buying right?!! After dinner we would all head over to an Irish pub and hangout together. Just chatting about our experiences. Around 10 Brennan and I would meet up with my amazing friend Melissa and head over to meet the rest of the cohort at some other bar. The night was so much fun.. I will give you a small glimpse into how great the night went, I made one trip to the bar by flying ; ) It was a fun night and well deserved for all of us. To finally have finished what we all started 23 months earlier!! The rest of the night though you can just imagine. But I do want to send a shout out to Melissa dad who came and picked us up. Thank you!!
Some of the girls in my class
The gang
Saturday would start off a bit slow if you catch my drift. However it was Alcatraz day. Thanks to Mrs. Cassidy who purchased our ten tickets to "The Rock" months in advance. It's weird to think that we all paid to go over and view a prison. However it was a very interesting experience and makes you realize how much prison on a freezing cold island was an ideal place and also a very crappy place to try and escape from. The tour was great cause you just got an audio set and could take the tour at your own pace. So we all wondered around. I found most interesting was that real families lived on the island and the kids took a ferry to SF every day for school. Talk about a weird life. I live on an island with prisoners because my dad is a guard. They said the cost of living was so cheap but still... What a childhood. Do not think you would have many friends coming over to play.
How would you like to live in that area for years....
It was so windy but cool with the city in the background.
After Alcatraz my family would head to the airport to get home. I mean you cant leave Sean and KK home alone for that long.. Just kidding. But they were headed home to regroup to be able to start the coming week with at least Sunday to rest. We would spend the rest of the day hanging out with Brennan's family. We drove along the coast and saw the golf course where Brennan came up and worked for the TOUR.
Sunday we would say good bye to Brennan's family and we headed down to see Sacramento. Making a few stops along the way. Brennan figured that since he plans to stay in California a while he probably should see its Capital. We also managed to find another great sushi place. Monday we would go see Stanford University. Which is a beautiful campus. And find a great breakfast place in Palo Alto. Then we headed back to the airport to get back to San Diego. If it were only that simple. We flew the city bus as Brennan calls it in Southwest. For me I am just cheap and they always have the best deals. But we were about to take off and heard the pilot come over and say " sorry the check engine light is on and we have to head in to have a mechanic look at it." Needless to say the flight home is only an hour and we sat and waited 2 before we finally got on our way. I guess it was a fitting way to end our graduation trip.
All in all it was an amazing trip. So great to have most of my family make the trip to San Fran and be apart of the excitement. As well as to see Brennan's family again. And most of all to close out a very important chapter in my life. I got more then just a Master's degree from USF. But don't you forget I got a Master's degree.. The diploma should be coming in the mail very soon!!!
