Matriculation came in two parts, and I’d been looking forward to it since arriving. We started off with a warm introduction from Dr Judith Bunbury, the Senior Tutor of Wolfson. This was followed by welcome messages from the President, Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu and Vice President, Kevin Greenbank and several others. You could really feel the sense of pride and history in the air.
When it was time for matriculation pictures, I wore bright red, it just felt right for how excited I was. I met Africans at Wolfson, and it was such a joy to connect with people who shared my culture. We laughed and took loads of pictures.
Wolfson is incredibly diverse. I met lawyers, teachers, biologists even someone doing another master’s after their MBA at Judge! Later, I passed by the Fresher’s Fair, and the highlight was watching the ballet class. I couldn’t resist trying a few moves myself. Maybe ballet will be my new adventure this year.
I ended the day at Dorcas and Flourish’s room, my Nigerian friends, where we caught up and laughed over our shared experiences. In the evening, I studied for a quiz and had my usual family catch-up call.
The next day was class as usual, but the real highlight was my Matriculation Ceremony and Dinner. During the ceremony, we learned how Cambridge began as a place where students studied under the apprenticeship of Masters. The Praelector, David Goode, shared that matriculation at Cambridge dates back to 1544, when students formally entered their names on the matricula– the master’s roll. It felt special to be part of such a long-standing tradition. At Wolfson, this process has now gone digital after COVID, so we took a declaration to both Wolfson and Cambridge, officially becoming members of this historic university. Afterward, I took a few pictures with my MBA classmates before heading to dinner.
Dinner was wonderful. Grace was said in Latin, a beautiful reminder of Cambridge’s deep-rooted traditions. Since it was matriculation, we were allowed to use our phones during dinner. This was a rare exception, as phones are usually tucked away to encourage real conversation. I sat with Farhan and Rob, and we shared stories from Bangladesh, Ghana, the UK, and China. It was fascinating to discover how much Ghana and Bangladesh have in common, especially our shared love for food and warm hospitality.
I left dinner feeling full; not just from the meal, but from the warmth, connection, and history that surrounded me.
Reflection:
Matriculation reminded me why I’m here; not just to study, but to grow, to connect, and to be part of something bigger than myself. In a world that moves so fast, Cambridge offers a pause, a space to reflect on centuries of learning while writing our own chapters in that story. It’s humbling, inspiring, and a little surreal to think that I now belong to this tradition.