• DOWN THE AISLES ~ I:: people President David Burks welcomes family, faculty and students to the May 14, 2005, graduation ceremony. The gradua– tion ceremony was held in the Ganus Athletic Center. .JeffMnn'gomery Two life chon The end ofthe year brought graduating seniors a list of things to take care of. They had exams to take, papers to write, resumes to prepare, jobs to apply for, visiting family to entertain and more. For some seniors, an extra level of stress was added to the pile of graduation pressures: a wedding. For students like 2005 graduate Matt Fecteau and his wife, graduate student Davie, May 14, 200S, was more than the end of Matt's college career; it was the beginning of Matt and Davie's married lives. The week before his wedding \vas stressful, Matt said. He had exams to study for, a honeymoon to arrange and an apartment to move out of. "I was a fifth-year senior, and I think I only had like eight hours so the school part wasn't that bad," Matt said. "But trying to work, cleaning up my apartment, making sure everything was set for the honeymoon and dealing with family coming into town was stressful." Family was one ofthe big reasons the Fecceaus chose to get married when they did. "1 would have liked to wait a couple of months or so and get married in the summer but it wouldn't have worked out," Matt said. "It would have been too expensive to have my family make t\vo trips." Matt said his family, who drove ftom Conway, N.H., was already coming to see him graduate so getting married on the same day was the easiest thing to do. "I think it was more convenient than stress~ ful," Davie said. "But I may be biased since I graduated in December. I regret that it was so es il) one day stressful on Matt." Not only was it stressful on Man, but some of the wedding party graduated May 14, as well. With graduation ending at noon and the wedding beginning at 5 p.m., there was not much time to prepare before getting out to the Abbey House in Heber Springs for the wedding ceremony. "It was hard because people who graduated wanted to spend time with their families," Matt said. Davie said members ofthe wedding parry had stresses of their own. "1 think the gi rls were stressed the mOSt because they didn't have a lot of time to get ready," Davie said. Despite the anxiety, stress and fea rs of bad weather, Matt said it was all worth it since the wedding weO( well, and he would do it again if given the chance. "Our families were going to be there anyways. and a lot ofgood friends gOt to come because they were still at school to see graduation," Davie said. "J think it was well worth it, and I'd do it again if J was in the same situation." For the handful of students attempting to follow in the Fecreaus footsteps, the couple said they had a few words of advice. "I probably shouldn't have procrastinated as much with getting my apartment clean," Man said. "So I'd say don't procrastinate, it just adds stress." "Plan ahead," Davie said. "Be prepared as much as you possibly can in order for the wedding to run smoothly. JUSt stay organized and everything will work OUL" ·Austin Ught
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