It was a proud day for Emma Watson on Sunday as she donned a motarboard cap and gown to pick up her degree from Brown University.The Harry Potter star joined 2,000 other proud students graduating from the Ivy League University in Rhode Island on Sunday. Emma, 24, was presented with her bachelor's degree in English literature – a qualification which she managed to complete at the same time as lensing several big screen projects.
The actress started studying at Brown in September 2009. In 2011, she put her four-year course on hold while she finished work on the final instalment of the Harry Potter films. "I've decided to take a bit of time off to completely finish my work on Harry Potter… and to focus on my other professional and acting projects," she told her fans at the time. "I will still be working towards my degree… It's just going to take me a semester or two longer than I thought." Emma initially transferred from Brown to Oxford University in 2011 to carry on studying for the third year of her course, but took another break after signing up to The Perks of Being A Wallflower.
She's more than used to being in the spotlight on the promotional trail. But the star said she was incredibly nervous as she walked on to campus for the first time. "On the first day, I walked into the canteen and everyone went completely silent and turned to look at me," she told The Times. "I had to say to myself, 'It's okay, you can do this. You just have to take a deep breath and gather your courage'." Emma had no problems making friends though, and she says the University couldn't have been more supportive. She told Ellen DeGeneres of her experience: "I guess everyone in their freshman year is nervous and figuring it all out. "I think people kind of took pity on me. She's English, she doesn't really know where she's going. And Brown were weirdly protective of me. They saw it as their role to help me have that experience. I can't really explain it."