'I was overwhelmed' Family holds graduation for son in Cardiff garden after his was cancelled due to Covid-19

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A family from Cardiff held a graduation ceremony in their back garden for their son after his was postponed because of coronavirus.

Financial mathematics graduate Safwan Iqbal said he was "overwhelmed" when he saw what his family had organised for him.

When Safwan heard he would not be able to attend a graduation ceremony this year, he said it was "disheartening" but his mother said, "don't worry, we'll do one at home."

He said: "I didn't expect it to turn out as perfect as it was... I was overwhelmed."

Safwan said everyone in his family chipped in with their part.

"My family is quite creative when it comes to these things, it was my mum's idea to make it as extravagant and unique as possible."

Safwan's brother Salman said the family wanted to do something special for Safwan, "as he worked so hard for it... Especially with the lockdown restrictions and him not being able to go to university and study with his friends."

Salman said the pandemic has been tough for them like any other family.

He said: "Being able to work, study and maintain daily activities within the boundaries of our homes has been challenging. It is always good to find positives in situations like this and hence we held a mock graduation ceremony for my brother." 

Safwan said the biggest challenge for him has been having to revise at home, rather than in the library with his friends. He said he had to adapt his revision style but "it was a blessing in disguise" because the exams also took place at home, instead of in an exam hall with thousands of other students.

Safwan is graduating with a 2:1 from Cardiff University. From September, he will be starting a job as a Global Mobility Tax Consultant.

With graduations only being held virtually this year, Cardiff University said students are finding new ways of celebrating their achievements.

A Cardiff University spokesperson said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to see some of the innovative ways our students are celebrating their wonderful achievements this year.

''Graduation is without doubt the highlight of the University calendar so it’s great to see students complementing our Virtual Celebrations with creations of their own. We extend our congratulations to each and every one of our students and look forward to celebrating with them in person next year.”