Graduation 2002
After (only) four years at JMU, it is time to say goodbye. The Class of 2002's Commencement Ceremony was held Saturday, May 4. Congratulations to all of my fellow graduates. We did it!
Western Sizzlin', mmm.
 My parents took the five of us (me, Dan, Patrick, ShaLo, and Lecia) out to dinner the night before graduation. My mom insisted on taking a candid picture of us arriving at Western Sizzlin'. (Notice the shirt Dan is wearing. Thanks Patrick for such an awesome graduation gift (it says www.com-ala.com).
Ahhh!
 Since she took a candid picture of us, I took a candid picture of her. Needless to say, she was somewhat surprised when I whipped out my camera at the last second and took a picture of her. Mwa-ha-ha-ha.
Good times, good food, can't go wrong.
 My parents stayed in Waynesboro (the closest town where they could get hotel reservations ten months ago), so we met them down there because trying to go out to eat in Harrisonburg would have been a nightmare.
Not quite bit enough for two, darn.
 Western Sizzlin' had a 40th Anniversary special, where for $10 you could get a steak dinner and a t-shirt. Even though most of us ordered this special deal just for its novelty, they only had one t-shirt left. Mom and Lecia are trying to share it as best they can, but it doesn't seem to fit. (I think Lecia is somehow related to my mom, as they got along famously.)
Graduations in the 21st Century
 During the main ceremony, I was calling everyone from my parents in the stands to my roommates to find out where they were sitting, and coordinating rendevous points for afterward. This was definitely an Information Age ceremony.
Thanks Mom and Dad for all your support (and money)!
 Thanks Mom and Dad for sponsoring this education. I couldn't have done it without you!
Cindy, Calli, Suzy, me, and Mom
 I was fortunate to have lots of friends and family there to share my special day. Thanks to Cindy and Calli, Alan and Suzy, Kathy, Billy, and Cameron, Mom and Dad, Mom and Greg for making the trip down to Harrisonburg. It meant a lot to have you all there.
My high school graduation pictures look very similar to this, because our graduation was in the same type of oversized gym.
 After the main ceremony, the graduating class splits into the different colleges. Fortunately for me, the College of Arts and Letters was broken into four seperate satellite ceremonies, and the School of Communications only had about 250 graduates, so we were one of the first satellites to finish. Funny, because my high school had more graduates than this (362).
That cake looked awesome (and tasted awesome too).
 After the ceremonies, we had a graduation party at our apartment, which, believe it or not, is the only party we have thrown in the apartment. ShaLo and I even made a Friends-style traditional English Trifle (including beef sauteed with peas and onions)—see Episode 609 for the explanation.
Liz's Graduation: Loyola College in Maryland, May 18
Liz and her family
 I wasn't the only one to graduate this year. Liz graduated from Loyola in Baltimore two weeks after me. Congratulations to her. Thanks to Liz's parents for the wonderful dinner at Maggiano's that evening.
Go Liz!
 Mikki and I attended Liz's graduation, which was held at the Baltimore Arena. Liz isn't done with school yet. She will be attending law school at Queens College in New York this fall.
Mikki's Graduation: Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing, May 23
Mikki's gang: Andrea, Emily, me, Mikki, Kathy, and Liz
 Mikki's school's graduation ceremonies were spread over two days. She preferred everyone attend the School of Nursing ceremony, and she had more people in the auditorium than anyone: at least 18 that I can remember.
The girls, all grown up.
 After the ceremony, all the "kids" walked around the Inner Harbor before heading to The China Room for the graduation party which Mikki shared with her roommates, Jen and Erin, and their families.