Iron Ring, say whaaaaat?

My first day arrived in Montreal,

a McGill senior, Farhan and his friends, picked me and Nabil from the airport.

We went to our accommodation,

it's at Solin Hall, a McGill Residence

and we met more Malaysians

working part-time at the front desk.

It felt like home.

After we freshened up a little bit,

they took us for dinner and we went up Mont Royal.

While walking up,

Farhan told us about the iron ring.

Only engineering graduates from Canadian universities

will have the honor to wear one.

I swear I never heard of that tradition, ever.

But yeah at least, that'd be my motivation,

something that I can look forward too.

Fast forward two years later,

another senior YTN scholar, Jonathan

sent me a picture of his iron ring as motivation for me.

I had a pretty rough semester, but that kept me going.

On last Sunday,

I received mine.

Some people might not make it as a big deal,

well, I think it is a pretty big deal for me.

It's a big deal for me, more than the actual graduation ceremony.

The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer - they call it.

The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer has a history dating back to 1922,
when seven past-presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada attendeda meeting in Montreal with other engineers.

One of the speakers was civil engineer Professor Haultain of the University of Toronto.
He felt that an organization was needed to bind all members ofthe engineering profession in Canada more closely together.
He also felt that an obligation or statement of ethics to whicha young graduate in engineering could subscribe should be developed.

The seven past-presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada were very receptive to this idea.



There were some rituals happening during the ceremony.

I probably should not be sharing the whole story here
because I feel like some things are meant to be private
and let's not have a spoiler for the future engineering graduates here haha.

Only people with iron rings and professors are allowed in the ceremony.
For the students who were receiving the rings that day,
we could only receive them from someone who has had the ring for more than 3 years.

I saw parents put the rings on their children's pinky fingers,
it made me want to have at least one of my family members to
take an engineering degree in Canada,
so I can be the one who's giving out the ring haha!

I mean you, future kids!
#sorrynotsorry
#youmuststudyhardlol

I know only a few people in the hall,
mainly because of most of my friends
are extending their undergraduate years
by a semester or two.

I let my Microelectronic professor,
Prof Moural El-Ghamal to put the iron ring on me.
He did read a line,
initiating that he now granted me the ring,
so I shall be a responsible engineer in the future.
Most of the people I know received the rings from him too
because he's the only Electrical engineering professor in the room.

I'm glad at least there's a familiar prof.

Later, we took pictures on the stage,
taken by professional
and then I headed to the Y-intersection area
with Aanika and Iman for pictures.

Aanika was my photographer,
my makeup was done by Reem.
Nusaiba helped me out with my hijab.
Iman was there because she's my guest for the wine & cheese ceremony
and she couldn't be there on my graduation day,
so she should at least make it to one of my ceremonies!

It was snowing so badly, that I walked outside in boots
and had to keep my heels in my handbag!
Yeap they fit cause my feet are small hehe!

I met more friends at the ceremony.
They served mostly snacks,
since I couldn't have cheese and wine,
I just ate some sushi and tuna sandwiches.

Mostly, it's not for eating.
It's for meeting friends and pictures.

Leila was Nabil's guest that night.
We came in 2015 together,
and we're gonna graduate together!

Saima and Tamima were there too.
Nabila, another hijabi engineering student,
a friend and a brilliant one I'd say,
she's introducing us to her big family and
her mother-in-law secretly has a fountain of youth at the back of her house.
She looks super young, like in her 20s!
But she already has 3 sons, who're working/in the university!

I didn't meet Grier,
he left early because he had a midterm.

Greg and Myriam were there at the ceremony too.


Later, we had more picture sessions
and we're the last to leave.

Nabila invited me, Iman and Saima for the celebratory dinner.
It was Indian food! They're so good and I kid you not,
I was so so full and felt so blessed by good halal meat!
 Nabila's husband was paying everything,
God bless Nabila's family for being so generous.

They even had cake for Nabila,
and they're kind enough to even drag me into the picture!

It's a Fererro Rocher cake,
I didn't know that till I finished my second slice
and my lips got itchy.

Oh yeah, I'm allergic to hazelnut lol.


Here are pictures from the special day.