---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just got an honorary degree from…"
description: "\"I just got an honorary degree from Glasgow University, and I had to wear around very painful shoes so that I didn't laugh all the way through the cerem..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/denise-mina-10719_around_i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasg_701751.png"
---

#  I just got an honorary degree from Glasgow University, and…

![“I just got an honorary degree from Glasgow University, and I had to wear around very painful shoes so that I didn't laugh all the way through the ceremony because I felt like an outlaw.” quote by Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/denise-mina-10719_around_i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasg_701751.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/denise-mina-10719_around_i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasg_701751.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/denise-mina-10719_around_i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasg_701751.png)

> “I just got an honorary degree from Glasgow University, and I had to wear around very painful shoes so that I didn't laugh all the way through the ceremony because I felt like an outlaw.”

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker feels like an outsider at a formal event, using painful shoes to suppress laughter, highlighting the tension between celebration and personal discomfort.

**In simple terms:** Feeling out of place at a ceremony.

Key Takeaway

Embrace discomfort to stay authentic.

Themes

identity celebration discomfort authenticity

Mood

reflective wry

Type

anecdotal personal

When to use this quote

- academic ceremonies
- award receptions
- public speaking
- personal milestones

Key Concepts

social norms self-presentation ritual

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you cope with feeling like an outsider?
- What role does humor play in uncomfortable situations?

A Different Perspective

The humor may mask deeper insecurity about belonging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ceremony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Outlaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlaw/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/)

## Related quotes

> [Shoes for men are about elegance or wealth, they are not playing with the inner character. That is why women are happy to wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/shoes-for-men-are-about-elegance-or-wealth-they-are-not-playing-with/)

[Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/)

> [ I get to be the first doctor in the family \[because of the honorary degree they're giving me\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-get-to-be-the-first-doctor-in-the-family-because-of-the-honorary/)

[Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/)

> [Sophie Germain proved to the world that even a woman can accomplish something in the most rigorous and abstract of sciences and for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/sophie-germain-proved-to-the-world-that-even-a-woman-can-accomplish/)

[Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/)

> [Why do we wear them? They're so painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/why-do-we-wear-them-they-re-so-painful/)

[Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/)

> [People say I am the king of painful shoes. I don't want to create painful shoes, but it is not my job to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/people-say-i-am-the-king-of-painful-shoes-i-don-t-want-to-create/)

[Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/)

> [People say I am the king of painful shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/people-say-i-am-the-king-of-painful-shoes/)

[Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/)

> [“Pasteur had received an honorary degree from the University of Bonn in 1868, but returned it later during the height of French-German tension. “Today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-e-maczulak/pasteur-had-received-an-honorary-degree-from-the-university-of-bonn/)

[Anne E. Maczulak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-e-maczulak/)

> [“Wasn’t ‘Ms.’ an honorific for females back in pre-rubicon days?” asked Frome. “Some sort of honorary degree for not getting married or something?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/wasn-t-ms-an-honorific-for-females-back-in-pre-rubicon-days-asked/)

[Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/)

> [When I came to California, the first four parts I did were Stanford students. I think I should get an honorary degree from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-hammond/when-i-came-to-california-the-first-four-parts-i-did-were-stanford/)

[Nicholas Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-hammond/)

> [If you went for a job interview in a Glasgow law firm, they used to ask you what school you went to. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/if-you-went-for-a-job-interview-in-a-glasgow-law-firm-they-used-to/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [It's very hard to be cut off in Glasgow because it's such a small city. You know, we have the highest rate of per-capita…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/it-s-very-hard-to-be-cut-off-in-glasgow-because-it-s-such-a-small/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [What do you think I'm a professor of? The little finger? (On offers of honorary doctorates.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cartier-bresson/what-do-you-think-i-m-a-professor-of-the-little-finger-on-offers-of/)

[Henri Cartier-Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cartier-bresson/)

> [I was lucky to get to Oxford. I am now an honorary fellow of my old college, which is nice, particularly for a colonial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cartwright/i-was-lucky-to-get-to-oxford-i-am-now-an-honorary-fellow-of-my-old/)

[Justin Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cartwright/)

> [from one minute to the next the present is merely an honorary past. It must be filled unceasingly anew to dissemble the curse it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-one-minute-to-the-next-the-present-is-merely-an-honorary-past-it/)

[Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/)

> [Great God of the Ants, thou hast granted victory to thy servants. I appoint thee honorary Colonel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/great-god-of-the-ants-thou-hast-granted-victory-to-thy-servants-i/)

[Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/)

## More by Denise Mina

> [“He stopped at an intersection, panting, rubbing at the twinge in his hamstrings, looking around, though he knew no cars were coming in either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/he-stopped-at-an-intersection-panting-rubbing-at-the-twinge-in-his/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [Even if people do wrong, we're social animals, so what can we do about stopping them doing the same things in future? Saying people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/even-if-people-do-wrong-we-re-social-animals-so-what-can-we-do-about/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [Crime is a very hard genre to feminise. If you have a female protagonist she is going to be looking after her mum when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/crime-is-a-very-hard-genre-to-feminise-if-you-have-a-female/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [In the 'Garnethill' trilogy, people always forget that Maureen O'Donnell's dad was a journalist and she did art history at uni and her brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/in-the-garnethill-trilogy-people-always-forget-that-maureen-o-donnell/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [Comics don't work if the story is all in the text and the images are illustrative. It's hard to have enough faith in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/comics-don-t-work-if-the-story-is-all-in-the-text-and-the-images-are/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [“Bout a month ago. She came in Boxing Day but I put her out. She was begging people, not even tapping, but begging for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/bout-a-month-ago-she-came-in-boxing-day-but-i-put-her-out-she-was/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [None of us know what is going to sell or what people want to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/none-of-us-know-what-is-going-to-sell-or-what-people-want-to-read/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [In my heart I'm just a lucky waitress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/in-my-heart-i-m-just-a-lucky-waitress/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [To have a very strong opinion all the time is corrosive to a person's intellect. It becomes your default position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/to-have-a-very-strong-opinion-all-the-time-is-corrosive-to-a-person-s/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [I'd read so much right-wing crime fiction where they find the evidence and shoot the bad guy - I thought there must be another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-d-read-so-much-right-wing-crime-fiction-where-they-find-the/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [I think the class divide is going to change. I think a lot more working class people are going to get published. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-think-the-class-divide-is-going-to-change-i-think-a-lot-more/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [“If Morrow worked with herself she'd try and sit a few desks away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/if-morrow-worked-with-herself-she-d-try-and-sit-a-few-desks-away/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [“Maureen didn’t know what to say so she told the truth. “You’re frightening me,” she shouted. Inness stopped still. “I didn’t mean to,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/maureen-didn-t-know-what-to-say-so-she-told-the-truth-you-re/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [I respond very well to rules. If there are certain parameters it's much easier to do something really good. Especially when readers know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-respond-very-well-to-rules-if-there-are-certain-parameters-it-s/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

> [There are a lot of bottlenecks to getting published. Publishers are only one of them. Having the time is another one. Feeling entitled is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/there-are-a-lot-of-bottlenecks-to-getting-published-publishers-are/)

[Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

[Explore all 64 Denise Mina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/)

## More Around quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/)

[Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/)

> [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/)

[James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/)

> [I guess I'm attracted to things that are fun. I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/)

[Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/)

> [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/)

[Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/)

> [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/)

[Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/)

> [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/)

[Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/)

> [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/)

[Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/)

> [I can look around a room and tell you if there are hidden cameras or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ash/i-can-look-around-a-room-and-tell-you-if-there-are-hidden-cameras-or/)

[Lauren Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ash/)

> [You couldn't get me to go travel around and sit in a hotel room again. I have no interest in doing that. So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/)

[Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/)

> [I drink maple syrup. Then I'm hyper so I just run around like crazy and work it all off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-drink-maple-syrup-then-i-m-hyper-so-i-just-run-around-like-crazy/)

[Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/)

> [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/)

[Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/)

> [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/)

[Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/)

> [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I became an MP in 2017 and have been around to watch Liberal Democrat party membership soar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-moran/i-became-an-mp-in-2017-and-have-been-around-to-watch-liberal-democrat/)

[Layla Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-moran/)

Browse all 7,275 Around quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I just got an honorary degree from Glasgow University, and I had to wear around very painful shoes so that I didn't laugh all the way through the ceremony because I felt like an outlaw.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Denise Mina"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasgow-university-and-i-had-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Around"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasgow-university-and-i-had-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/denise-mina-10719_around_i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasg_701751.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/denise-mina-10719_around_i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasg_701751.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/denise-mina-10719_around_i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasg_701751.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I just got an honorary degree from Glasgow University, and I had to wear around very painful shoes so that I…” — Denise Mina",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Denise Mina",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I just got an honorary degree...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasgow-university-and-i-had-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/i-just-got-an-honorary-degree-from-glasgow-university-and-i-had-to/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
