The champagne is on standby and it's all smiles at the University of Wollongong (UOW) as the spring graduations begin.
After years of study and late-night cramming, graduates arrived with their family and friends in tow to celebrate at the UOW Sports Hub on October 31.
Commerce graduate Emily Braine said the ceremony was super exciting and it was a long time coming.
"I'm just really happy. It's a super achievement and like [after] a lot of assignments [and] a lot of late nights," she said.
Ms Braine has a lot to celebrate, she just started a digital marketing job at the multinational bank company American Express.
Over a thousand UOW students will graduate at the UOW Spring ceremonies, which started on Tuesday, October 31, and will continue to November 1 across all faculties.
Law graduate Marina Crnalic said she felt "a little bit nervous and very relieved" to be graduating with a double degree in law and international studies.
She is the first in her family to graduate and was drawn to law due to "curiosity of how the legal system worked".
Law and engineering were announced as UOW's highest-ranking subjects in Times Higher Education. On October 26, it was revealed the two subjects were in the top 125 worldwide.
UOW graduate Austin Pallone said it's a great feeling to graduate, he is already working in the accounting industry but aims to become a chartered accountant.
"It's been three and a half years of studying and especially during the COVID time [it was] a bit stressful, but it's great now," Mr Pallone said.
Law graduate Gabrielle Frost is passionate about the environment and was drawn to law as her opportunity to make a difference.
"I wanted to do law ... to be able to have the skills to make a difference and actually get where I need to go to make that difference," she said.
The Wiradjuri woman currently works in a government job, looking at inquiries in law.
"It's an area of law that's constantly changing and it's working somewhere where you're looking into inquiring into what has gone wrong, and it's really an interesting part of law."
For international student Rahif Al Khal Al Saddam moving to Australia from Lebanon to study a masters degree was a "culture shock".
"Moving from a third world country to a first world country is a massive change," he said.
"As much as you know from the internet and from the TV and everything when you're here it's different. Yeah, it was hard the first six months were really, really hard."
He's looking to get a corporate job in marketing before he moves to his own agency Ad to Pocket.
For some students just standing at the UOW Sports Hub was a moment of realisation that the end of their degree had finally arrived.
Megha Parmar had that moment when she saw everyone in their graduation gowns.
"I'm like 'Okay this is happening, I finally did it'...I feel excited for the future and relieved," she said.
UOW Vice Chancellor Professor Patricia Davidson said graduation is a happy, poignant time for the university.
"I love graduation ... Seeing our graduates off into the world, celebrating their success, their hard work, and their accomplishments, is a moment of immense pride for the entire university community," Professor Davidson said.
The university will bestow four Honourary Doctorates and five Emeritus Professorships in the biannual graduation.
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Marlene Even
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
