I (Finally) Graduated from Ag School

Yesterday I graduated from Olds College, one of the major agricultural schools in Western Canada.  I graduated from the Agricultural Management diploma program with a double major in production and marketing.  I'd like to share a few themes that have dominated my thoughts of my graduation experience with you.

Worldly Honour

At Olds College, as at many other educational institutions, it is possible for a student to graduate with honours if he achieves a high grade point average (GPA) or to graduate with distinction if he achieves an even higher GPA.  At Olds, those who graduate with honours or distinction are given a gold-coloured cord with tassles as they cross the stage.  Three years ago I watched as my sister graduated and got her cord as she crossed the stage at Olds College.  This year it was my turn, as I graduated with distinction.  I've never really understood the point of pointing out students with a particularly high GPA.  The way I see it, the practice only breeds pride and humiliation.  Yesterday as I stood in line waiting for my class's turn to cross the stage, the graduate behind me began making comments about how those students with honours and distinction must think they are so much better than the rest.  I didn't say anything.  I could think of nothing that would have convinced the irritated young man that I don't think I'm better than he is.  I wish I could have.

Years ago, when I was in elementary school, my parents were informed that my sister and I are considered "gifted", which means we are in a certain higher-than-average IQ range.  It means I do well in academic pursuits.  It means that God has blessed me with the ability to do well in school.  It doesn't mean that I'm better or smarter than anyone else.  There are many forms of intelligence, but only one or two are tested and nurtured in schools.  Many of my friends and classmates work hard just to get average grades, but from talking to them and getting to know them, I know that they are extremely intelligent and have gifts that allow them to be good at things that frustrate me.  Yet only those of us with particular gifts are given honour.  It's a poor honour if it degrades others.

Scrap Metal

I didn't just graduate with distinction.  I was bestowed with another honour at the graduation ceremony yesterday.  A little over a week before graduation I received a phone call from the college, informing me that I was to be the recipient of the Governor General's Collegiate Bronze Medal for Olds College.  I was told that this is a huge honour and that I was receiving it for my high grades.  When I got off the phone I went on with my work for the day, which meant washing windows - a rather humbling job for someone having just received news of a big honour.

I know I'm supposed to be honoured to receive this medal, but all I can think is that I'm the one who put the hard work in.  This wasn't just given to me; I earned it.  And besides that, I know that some of my classmates worked far harder to earn the grades they did and put much more effort into their assignments than I did.  With these thoughts, I'm struggling with a battle between feeling above the honour and feeling like I don't deserve it.

Furthermore, I am reminded of Isaiah 64:6, which says, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."  This medal can ultimately do nothing for me, just like my hard work can do nothing for me.  One day I will die and no worldly honour will keep that from happening.  I cannot take my stuff with me when I join my Lord in heaven.  I won't want it then anyways.  On that day, if my righteous acts, the good things I do, will be like filthy rags - useless, gross things my dad burns - then this medal is, at best, a fancy piece of scrap metal.  I'm sure my attitude will surprise and offend some readers, but I really can't see the honour.  It's a nice chunk of bronze, and the artwork done to engrave it is impressive, but in the end, it is nothing.

Friends and Family

Now that I've likely killed the joy in reading this post, let us move on to happier topics.  The best part of graduation was spending time with friends I haven't seen in over a month.  These are friends I saw on a weekly, or sometimes daily, basis.  I've also gotten to know some of their families and I got to see them again at graduation, too.  There were many friends who did not make it to graduation and I missed them, but it was absolutely wonderful to spend time with those who did make it, even if it was just a few brief moments of visiting with some of them.  I was blessed to be able to spend more time with a few of my friends, reminiscing and teasing each other like we always do.

My parents were able to come see the graduation ceremony and spend time with me, my friends, and their families afterwards.  It's nice to have supportive parents who haven't grown exasperated by my many years in post-secondary school and my many program changes.  My sister, who lives on the other side of the country, was not able to come, but she was able to watch most of the ceremony from the live feed on the college website.  I am honoured that she would take time from her busy day to watch speeches and wait to see me cross the stage for a brief moment.  A good friend in Ontario also watched the live feed, and two of my Alberta friends took time out of their weekends to come watch in person.

My favourite times of the weekend were spent hanging out with friends.  I was able to spend time visiting with some people at Tim Horton's the night before graduation, which was amazing!  I was used to visiting with my friends after Bible study in Olds at Tim Hortons, so this was sort of like old times, with a bunch of people crowded around a table late at night (except the crowd was smaller this time).  I also had fun after the ceremony spending time with my friends and visiting over cake, fruit, and lemonade.  Had my friends not been there and had my family not cared, there would have been no point in going to my graduation ceremony.  I would have just had the diploma mailed to me.

Hugs

Those who know me know that I generally am not comfortable with hugs.  Somehow they often end up being awkward, probably because I don't give hugs very often.  Other times the hugs themselves are okay, but I just don't see the point.  You see, I'm used to giving hugs only on special occasions, for example, if I see someone I haven't seen in a long time or am saying goodbye to someone I won't see for a long time.  Weddings are also good for free hugs.  For some reason I just don't like hugs under any other circumstances.  Because of this, I just try to avoid hugs in most circumstances or try to get it over with quickly.  Of course, I know that isn't the best way to go, but it's how I cope in uncomfortable situations.

However, there are the rare few hugs that are really great.  They aren't awkward at all, they are meaningful because they show how much a friend cares, and I'm usually not trying to avoid them.  I got one of those hugs from a good friend as I was leaving yesterday.  I also got some okay hugs - ones that were expected and not awkward, but nothing super special.  The hugs helped make the day special.

Learning

I've been learning plenty in the last few years.  There is so much I didn't know that I didn't know about farming.  One of my favourite teachers is retiring now.  It's too bad, because he challenged me to learn for the sake of expanding my knowledge, instead of just learning enough to get decent grades.  I'm sure more students would benefit from his wealth of knowledge.

Now that I'm done college, I won't have the chance to learn through lectures and assignments, or just walk up to an instructor and ask my questions.  However, my instructors and friends from the college have given me countless tips and resources that will help me to continue expanding my knowledge.  I look forward to learning more as I enter my career in agriculture.

Overall my day (and my whole time at Olds) was pretty great, but not because of all the formal honours of crossing the stage with my classmates.  My day was great because I got to spend it with friends and family.  Graduation means I have ended school, but it also means I get to keep learning, but in different ways.

My parents and I after the ceremony.