Convocation

After one year of hard work, we are finally here. Looking back, all the work, study, and politics seem so trivial. On the cloudy Saturday morning of October 25, families gathered together to celebrate our graduation from University of Waterloo.

While my parents could not make it to my graduation, my aunt and her family made their way here from San Francisco. After two days of enjoying cuisines that were unique to Toronto, we put on the best clothes and headed to Waterloo.

A last-minute arrangement saw us meeting with some of my classmates and their families for lunch. It was great seeing them, since we practically see each other for 18 hours a day just months before. After the last day of school, all of us went our separate ways. I just wish that one day we will meet again.

After lunch, we headed to school, where the graduates received their gowns. Our convocation time slot was designated for the Engineering, Sciences, and Math departments. All Ph.D, Masters, and Bachelor graduates from those departments were present for the ceremony. Little did I know that the chancellor of University of Waterloo was the CEO of Research in Motion. As I walked across the stage, I shook hand with the legendary Mike Lazaridis and exchanged a few words about entrepreneurship. In retrospect, I really should have asked for a free Blackberry…

After the ceremony, we were invited to CBET’s reception for the graduating class. The Executive Director Howard Armitage gave a speech that really resonated with me. He said that it is important to see the beauty of everyone, because everyone has the potential to surprise you. Howard then went on leave us with the six-word remark, “tell the truth, all the time.” Eight months ago, when I had my peer review meeting with Howard, I had asked him about his thoughts to generate synergy. Howard told me that managing a group and creating synergy is a life-long quest, that no one has the answers to it. Howard then picked out a few words from my peer reviews and said, “your peers see you as a trustworthy and credible person; that is very important.” Thinking back to those words, I all of a sudden realised that Howard had finally answered my question.

The rest of the reception was really a blur. My family and I went to a local German restaurant and enjoyed the pork hock and schnitzels, and headed back to Toronto for my aunt’s flight the next morning. In retrospect, all the work and politics are really trivial. I am truly thankful to my peers and the faculty at CBET, who taught me important lessons through the year. I shall tell the truth, all the time.