Around one month ago, I received an invitation from the University of Minnesota Crookston (UMN) stating that the graduation ceremony would be held on May 7, 2022. One week before the commencement, I decided to attend the ceremony, visit Crookston city and the college, and most importantly, experience the commencement.

I hadn’t previously graduated from a four-year college; my associate degree graduation ceremony in China was a simple affair, consisting of taking a picture with my classmates and teachers. I had no idea what a commencement would be like, especially in the United States. In fact, it was the first time I had even encountered the word “commencement.” May 7 fell in the last week of my spring semester, which happened to be the busiest week for my studies since I was taking five courses. As a result, I forgot to check the commencement instructions.

My husband and two kids accompanied me on the trip. We arrived in Crookston on Friday night, May 6, after a tiring 5-hour drive. Exhausted, we went to bed around 9:00 pm. Just before falling asleep, I decided to review the instructions and realized that there was a dress code stating that women should wear blouses and pants or dresses, and not jeans or shorts. Unfortunately, I had only packed jeans and T-shirts. Worried about my attire, I set my alarm for 7:00 am, planning to go to Walmart, the only supermarket in Crookston, to buy some formal dresses.

The following day, I woke up at 6:30 am and walked to Walmart, which was just 10 minutes away. However, I could only find one set of pants, shoes, and a blouse that met the dress code, and they were all in size S. The outfits appeared loose on me. The shoes were designed in a way that the toplines were too tight when the length was the right fit for my feet. Based on some online recommendations, I decided to prioritize enjoying the commencement rather than letting any physical discomfort ruin the experience. Consequently, I chose a larger size that didn’t cause any pain.

According to the instructions, online students were supposed to gather at the campus gym at 9:15 am for photos. We arrived there at 9:00 am and found three sets of chairs in the middle, with some people sitting on the stairs on both sides, a few of whom were wearing black gowns. Everything was new and exciting. I sat on the gym stairs, wondering why there was no mention of taking photos. Since my 2-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son couldn’t sit still, my husband took them out of the building to wait for my mother-in-law. I took out my cellphone to review the instructions once again and discovered that we were actually supposed to gather at the wellness center, not the gym.

I hurriedly left the gym and approached a staff member to guide me to the wellness center, where all the graduates had gathered, wearing gowns and hats. I received my name card but, since I didn’t have any honor cords, I was asked to walk inside and wait for… I didn’t know what. I felt confused as to why everyone else had gowns and hats except for me. After a few minutes, the organizer, a male staff member, took the microphone and announced that in 10 minutes, we would need to line up and walk into the gym. I grew increasingly nervous without a gown and hat. I then approached the receptionist, a middle-aged lady, to seek clarification. The organizer overheard our conversation, and they informed me that I should have pre-ordered a gown from the bookstore. However, they weren’t sure if there was an extra one available. The lady kindly offered to go to the bookstore and check for me.

Please express my gratitude to her!

Around 10 minutes later, she returned with the gown, hat, and tassel! Although my major was English and I should have worn a white tassel, she had brought a brown one representing the business department. She apologized for the mix-up, but compared to the assistance she had provided, the minor issue was inconsequential. With her help, I put on the gown and hat. Finally, I didn’t stand out from the rest of the group! I lined up at the end.

The walk to the gym center was pleasant overall, except that my shoes were too loose, forcing me to walk awkwardly, and the hat felt as though it could fall off at any moment, so I had to keep my upper body still. The organizer kindly asked if everything was well at the gate, which helped ease some of my nervousness.

I sat in the last row.

After 15 years, I returned to campus as a student! I felt as if I were young again. Being a student was such a precious time in my life. If I could be an on-campus student, it would be even better!

My name was the last one to be announced, and I walked onto the stage to take a photo with Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause. On the way back to my seat, my hat almost fell off, so I had to adjust it with one hand, which concealed my nervousness somewhat. My husband and mother-in-law took pictures and videos of me, and they commented that I looked so tiny. I shared the videos with my family chat group on WeChat (which includes my mom, dad, two younger brothers, and their wives). My mom also mentioned that I was the smallest among the graduates.

I loved the ceremony; it transported me back to my youth and reignited the dream of my future life. My only regret is that if I had read the instructions carefully, I would have enjoyed it more instead of feeling nervous. I would have taken photos with other online students and perhaps even spoken to my instructors and professors.

In the future, I will attend meetings and ceremonies as much as possible, whether for work or daily life. This is how I learn about American life and culture, and how I adapt to the country where my husband and children live. The only thing I need to remember is to READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!