When a CENPA graduate student successfully completes an oral exam – the general or the final – it is customary for the community to celebrate. Often, the exam takes place in the CENPA conference room, and the party is held in the lunch room next door once the committee finishes deliberating. By tradition, other graduate students in the group plan the festivities after consulting with the person completing the exam. Popular choices include pizza (from Pagliacci, up the hill at the 8 or the hub, or from Papa John’s), Indian food (a couple of catering trays from Jewel of India are standard), or ice cream. The beginning of the party is announced over the intercom (Paging people) as there may be a long time delay between the end of the public portion of the exam and the end of the committee’s deliberations.
The party planner may need to borrow the CENPA truck (Truck use and guidelines) in order to pick up large catering items. Money, usually somewhere around $5 per person, can be collected in advance or at the party – but the person who has just completed the exam eats for free! It is customary to include at least one vegetarian option.