The Grand Ole’ Tradition…

I spotted a picture of my graduation from VCU this past May, and it seems strange to think that I have now officially traded my graduation gown for a gown of an entirely different kind! I didn’t quite “get” the sub fusc outfit until this past Saturday… Because this past weekend I got to wear it to my first formal event since coming to Oxford… My matriculation!

Matriculation is the age old ceremony that every student in the history of the University has undergone… As the Vice-Chancellor  explained at the ceremony, there are only two defining “rites of passage” in the life of an Oxford scholar: Matriculation and Graduation.  At Matriculation, you become an of official member of the University of Oxford… Every person to ever study at the University, if even as only a visiting student, must undergo Matriculation… Once you are a member of the University, you retain your membership for the rest of your life. And you can never repeat Matriculation… It is literally a once in a lifetime event.

We (I and the 8 other graduate students living in my house) woke up at an ungodly hour for a Saturday morning and put on our official sub fusc. It seemed slightly silly, until I was surrounded by thousands of other “new” students dressed identically later that morning… Then it was just surreal… Watching hundreds of students   walk two by two, in sub fusc through the historic streets of Oxford is a true sight to see… But now imagine getting to be a part of it. I had to pinch myself several times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. It was a truly amazing experience. Oxford sure knows how to dream up some time-less traditions to seal the bond between generations of academics.

The whole ceremony (after all the official college photos and ‘pomp n’ circumstance’ march to the Examination Schools) was only about  15 minutes long… And a good part of it was in Latin… (Yes that’s right… To the rest of the world it’s a dead language, but you know Oxford… They can’t stand to be outdone… Haha) The Vice-Chancellor was, of course, inspirational and left me with goose bumps thinking of how privileged I was to make this University a part of my own life-story… It’s such an amazing opportunity for me, and such an incredible legacy to be a part of…

I ended my weekend of traditions with an afternoon at the local Oxford Beer Festival, a night at the “Sexy Sub-Fusc” Bop at my College bar, and a Sunday full of reading and writing a tutorial essay! Typical Oxford, I guess… Although it’s only Week 2 of Michaelmas Term, I’m already buried in my coursework… And despite the overwhelmingly long reading lists, and ambiguous tutorial essay prompts, I’m loving my Medical Anthropology coursework… It’s amazing how much I’m learning, which I guess is the point! Graduate school here is both everything, and nothing like I thought it would be…

Well I’m off to bed after yet another long day spent working in my now ritual writing spot… I’ve fallen in love with this little cafe on North Parade St, just a block away from my house and department… Far away from the hubbub of the city centre… There’s something to be said for working where you buy your caffeine fix! Haha :)

With Love from Oxford… ~Mary Elizabeth