Mark matriculated on Saturday. It seemed to me that the entire point of the ceremony to was to see just what you could get people to do if you told them they had to do it. And to see what a clean undergraduate looked like. Of course, I could just be a bit cynical.
But the truly disturbing thing was realising that we had been grossly misinformed regarding Mark's hat. (see http://baddelim.blogspot.com/2007/10/original-english-hat-trick.html)
He can wear it. And may not in fact be given a different one when he graduates.
Clearly we have fallen victim to either the ignorance of our fellow students, or the Oxford equivalent of the well known Australian 'drop-bear'. Indeed if it is the latter it may provide a window into the relative psychology of the two countries. Australians play practical jokes about lethal bears which drop down from trees; the English play practical jokes about the protocol of wearing hats.
We are resolved to trust other students no longer, but to obtain all our information from the Proctors, who above all things take themselves, their (bowler) hats and university protocol with great seriousness. They are bred to be incapable of any other reaction. (They are rumoured to have never smiled). The same cannot be said for students! JMB
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3 comments:
Sorry I hope I am not the source of the misinformation. I wore my hat. But later someone said 'O, you aren't supposed to WEAR it.'
Never mind.
Ah, so they got you too eh? Can't trust these English types. Next they'll be talking about drop squirrels.
By the time you get back to Oz, Mark, you will be like the guy in that play or musical with the character Yum Yum in it. I can't think what it is called, Jennie will know - "the man with many hats" Maybe you will turn up in Oz with a top hat or bowler! They say you get like the company you keep!
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