If you're a guest coming in from anywhere other than a Harvard Square hotel you get up at 4:00 in the morning to get a shot at a seat (and that's if you've got a ticket, mind. No ticket, no entry). I started at the Extension School itself and found most of my Capstone class right off the bat; I think all but one of us walked. We followed a set of bagpipes across the Commons, around the outside of the Yard's iron fence, and in through the Sever Gate -- to stand around waiting for about an hour while everyone shows up. Then all the schools yell like mad to let everyone know they're there and the procession starts.
I really can't describe Morning Exercises. It's similar to other college commencements I've been to, while at the same time being very different. A *ton* of music, all live. A student address -- in Latin. Way too many honorary degrees (in the heat, I think if they'd have gone for one more, there may have been a riot). The local sheriff in a top hat and silver cane yelling his lungs out. More bagpipes.
Seriously, you may want to watch it for yourself. Unfortunately this year the recording missed the call to order, so if you want to see the sheriff, you'll need to look up the 2014 (and I recommend it; it's everyone's favorite part).
Evidently while all this is going on the parents are pretty much acting like heathens. Wish I was kidding; Dad had to keep his foot hooked through his chair when he stood up to take a picture or else someone might have yanked it out from under him and walked off with it. I wonder how many fist fights security has had to break up over the years.
Diploma ceremonies are separate, because there's an insane number of people to deal with (I can't get exact number, but estimates are 32,000 people in attendance), and ours was in a local church. It was about a million degrees in there, and everyone just wanted to get done and out. I suspect my acceptance picture, when it comes, will pretty much look like I got hit with a brick. A sweaty brick.
The diploma itself is entirely in Latin, v's for u's and all, which appeals to the nerd in me in a big way. And no, I can't remember how to translate it any more (though I did get the gist of the Latin address, so I'm not THAT rusty).
And I guess that's really that. We didn't stay for the Afternoon Exercises -- too hot, and we were about worn out (and it's all speeches anyway; exciting maybe when it's Oprah, less so when it's an ex-governor).
*Even if it is the Extension School, which Harvard itself swears up and down is the real thing, and which HBS and HMS grads look so far down their's noses at that they get a crick in their necks. Whatever. I learned a ton.
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