Disney World and the Ivy League

This weekend is Yale’s Commencement weekend.  Aside from weddings, Chris, and s’mores, graduations are just about my most favorite thing in the world.  I love them.  All those people there to celebrate the hard work that people have put into their degrees – just makes me happy inside.  And it makes me cry.  I’m a crier at graduations.  I’ll cry even if I don’t know anyone whose graduating.  I once cried at a televised graduation ceremony for some college out in Arizona (it was on Oprah).  They just make me so darn happy.  And with this one being Chris’ graduation, celebrating all the hard work he has done for three years…well…I’m tearing up just blogging about it!

Anywho – for Yale, Commencement is the be all end all of ceremonies.  As you might imagine, pomp and circumstance were actually born here on the Yale campus.  Ivy leagues love them traditions, and what is more traditional than a bunch of (drunken) students parading through 100 year-old gates and lawns in capes and funny hats?  I mean, it just screams, “I love argyle!”

The most amazing part of the Yale Commencement weekend to me though is the week BEFORE the Yale Commencement weekend.  You know how at Disney World everything looks perfect to the point where its like your on a movie set?  That’s how Yale is during Commencement weekend!  Take, for example, the large area of dirt that has been on the lawn near my office for months now.  They are doing construction there so the lawn has been non-existent.  This morning, I went into my office and there was dirt there.  This afternoon I came out at lunch and sod had been laid, flowers had been planted.  There was even a tree standing there.  And its like that all over campus.  Suddenly, potholes that have tormented my car all year are filled.  Flower beds are full and blooming.  Grass is green and luscious.  Pathways and walkways are cleaned and lined with stone.  And all of this within about a 24 hour period.  It’s incredible.  I expect to run into Belle or Snow White any minute now.  I feel like I should break out in song.

I wish I could be cynical about it – “Ivy Leagues are so pretentious they need even their grass to be perfect” or “Looks like money can even buy a blooming tree.”  But I just can’t do it.  If Chris has to dress up like Merlin, then what’s wrong with a little magic on the campus this time of year?