STM is into the final week. this is exam week for the rest of the students. so, everyone except final year students is zombie-like and red-eyed (from lack of sleep obviously)!
by thursday afternoon, every exam will be finished. the students will celebrate their year end with a farewell party on thursday evening. it's time to let their hair down and bid farewell to the graduating students as well to one another.
on friday, it will be the commissioning service at 11am. this is the traditional sending-off service where the principal gives his farewell message to encourage and send off the would-be graduates. the service will have a holy communion as well as a time for the lecturers to pray with the graduates. a small gift is given to the graduates from the student body. a community lunch at 1.00pm marks the end of the service.
in the afternoon, it is down to business with rehearsal at 2pm for those involved in the graduation. this is to make sure the graduates know when to stand and where to walk to in the front to receive their scrolls. the marshall for this year is allen mcclymont. see whether he has a badge ot his two shooters on saturday.
by friday evening 7pm, it is the annual graduation dinner at Min Kok restaurant. this year promises to be a special one. all stm student and staff are in 'uniform'. a specially designed collar t/shirt has been designed for the occasion. so watch out! during the dinner, book gifts will be given to the graduating students. the stm alumni fellowship will also give the best academic awards to the best english and chinese department student.
by saturday, it is preparation time for last minute hall arrangements, and preparation for the afternoon tea at 3pm. the guests will rolling in around 2pm. parking is always a perenial problem but this year we have created more parking bays. graduation service will begin at 4.00pm and probably end around 6.00 pm or slightly later. this is followed by photography session according to batches and denominations. after that, it is free-for-all.
after all the euphoria, the faculty comes back on monday-tuesday for the annual faculty retreat/consultation to evaluate the present year and plan for the next year. it will also be marking papers and exam questions all through the month of october. lecturers also have a dateline to submit in the students' grades. there is no rest for the faculty (i was going to quote from isaiah ' there is no rest for the wicked').
p.s. and the reb has to run down on sunday morning 19th oct to preach and conduct holy communion in wesley methodist church segamat!! no rest indeed....
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