The Retirement Newsletter: My last set of graduates?
Issue Number: -28 — Will I miss going to graduation?
Welcome
Welcome to issue -28 — My last set of graduates?
This week, a short newsletter (I’ve been busy doing other things) in which I look at what may be my last set of graduates and wrap up my trip to Sibu, Malaysia.
My last set of graduates?
This year could be my last year of graduates if all goes to plan. And it’s an odd feeling.
Graduation is one of the year markers.
Graduations signal the end of the academic year and the start of summer. But they don’t.
We have winter graduations and all the resits over the summer. However, for the majority of students, they signify the end of their academic careers.
Over my academic career, I must have attended about 40 graduations, which doesn’t include three of my own. I have done a lot of clapping.
I started working at a university as a lecturer last century. I tell my students this, and they look at me with pity and sympathy as they think I’m old. In most cases, I’m just a few years older than their parents. But, to my students, I’m old. And it worries me how quickly the time has slipped by. I still consider myself the ‘new boy’ when I am an ‘old hand’.
Anyway, when I started teaching at university, classes were small. Typically, I had around 30 students in the class. And that was an entire degree class. Thirty. I knew my students by name, marks, and final degree classification. Graduations were a real celebration. You approached the students, greeted them by name, congratulated them on their degrees, and shook hands with their parents. It was a celebration, and I enjoyed it. The students felt a sense of achievement, as did I. I had seen students grow and mature while studying for their degrees.
However, one shock on graduation days was seeing the students smartly dressed with their hair done and tidy. All were freshly groomed. It was sometimes difficult to recognise the scruffy t-shirt and jeans, unkempt individual I had seen in my 9 am Monday morning lectures.
When I finished teaching at that university, l had 350 students in my class. I had about 30 tutees. There was no way I could know everyone. I even struggled to keep track of my tutees. The only students I knew by name, and wouldn’t always be able to recognise if I saw them, were the ‘problem students’. The students that came across my desk due to failed assessments, ‘misconduct’ (plagiarism or cheating) or who sadly had ongoing health issues.
The ten-fold increase in student numbers had a significant impact on graduation. I no longer knew most of the students graduating — I had taught them but had no idea who most were or what degree they had gained. It was a shame. We lost something.
And another thing that seems to have vanished — or maybe they don’t do it at my current university — the class photo.
As I said above, when I started teaching, we had around 30 students on the degree and organising a class photo was easy. We even had everyone’s name on the photo.
When the student numbers increased, getting everyone together became complex, and we stopped with the names.
I often wonder how many homes have a photo of me at a graduation hanging in their toilet or tucked away in a box in the attic.
In a way, teaching at a university in the UK has changed from teaching in a community to teaching in a factory — too many students. If primary and secondary schools had classes of the size I teach, there would be an uproar.
Will I miss graduations when I retire?
The answer is no.
Graduations are not the same as when I started teaching. They have lost their meaning. So, I won’t miss them. I won’t miss the tired and aching hands from 90 minutes of clapping.
Arts Festival
I’ve been out getting a bit of culture this week — hence the short newsletter. I’ve been to an arts festival. I’ve been going to this particular festival for many years. The Festival is also the source of the fireworks photos I often use at the top of the newsletter — there is one from this year’s festival at the top.
I’ve listened to some music, looked at some art (most of which I didn’t understand) and listened to some comedy.
Two comediennes I’ve seen are Marcus Bridgstocke and Jo Brand.
Marcus, I knew, was funny, and his show was excellent. Very well-thought-out very funny, and I loved the connections he made between jokes and subjects. He had worked hard at crafting the material.
Jo was also very good, very funny, but Marcus had more craft.
I enjoyed both.
Travel — Nostalgia Corner
I conclude my trip to Sibu, in East Malaysia, this week.
Sibu, Malaysia — Chinese Temple — Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia — a stunning Chinese Temple down by the river
Sibu, Malaysia — The Rajang River, Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia — a walk along the riverfront looking at the working boats on the river
Sibu, Malaysia — The covered market (day) — Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia — I like a good market, and what were those funny worms?
Sibu, Malaysia — summary of my trip to Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia — a wrap-up for my trip
Next week, I will tell you about my first trip to Myanmar (Burma).
Next week
Next week, in issue -27, I will look at annuities and drawdown and ask — what is the best way to use my retirement savings?
Thanks
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Until next time,
Nick
PS, If you want to contribute something to the newsletter — a story, advice, anything — please get in touch.