Jump to content

Graduation: did you go to yours


Angalin

Recommended Posts

I did go for all of my graduations, even though I don't like the attention. It does help that the ceremonies here tend to be relatively small and personal as well as close in time to actually finishing. And of course that I wasn't actually in a depression at the time of any of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congrats on completing your masters. So much relief when it's completely finished.

I skipped my undergrad as I thought their policy of banning under 5s from the ceremony was total bullshit.

I went to my master's because completing that degree with a distinction meant a huge amount to me, plus my parents wanted to attend. It was also nice to have my partner there because being in a supportive relationship was a novelty to me at that time. :)

I would say if it stresses you out to go and it's optional then don't go. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did go to my University graduation. It was fine, but I don't think I'd really feel I'd missed out if I hadn't gone, probably my Mum felt more strongly about it than I did.

We didn't have any kind of high school graduation, I think it's something that's not common in UK schools.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations Ang -- and sending love because I know it's been rough these past few months. :love::love: 

I am not a huge ceremony person, but there was a feeling of closure by being made to go to the ceremony (which I did, for my parents' sake). So I suppose it'll really come down to how much more stress this will put on you, vs. how much stress might actually be reduced if you're able to mentally "draw a line under" the whole experience. I've found that, at least for me, the latter is actually pretty important, but I know that not everyone will need that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ugh. I hate graduation ceremonies. I went to one ceremony as an undergrad for some friends and I wanted to shoot myself. I skipped my own undergrad ceremony, too. However, I went to my grad school ceremony for my grandmother, really. I was her only grandchild who completed college, let alone grad school, and I knew it'd be important to her. The ceremony was a bit pricey for me at the time (Travel expenses and fees--even as you're headed out the door unis still "fee" you senseless!)  but worth it for the photos alone. My grandma passed away about a year after that, so I'm glad I did it.

Congratulations on completing your MA! And even if you don't attend your grad ceremony I hope you celebrate this accomplishment with your family and friends somehow because you're worth it and it's an achievement worthy of celebration!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/3/2017 at 10:20 PM, Angalin said:

Did any of you skip your grads? Did you feel any different about your school or degree for going or not going?

We don't have the graduation ceremony. I don't know if I'd have attended it even if we did.

That piece of paper just never was that important to me. After graduation, I got a paper saying that I'd graduated, used it to wrap up some paperwork I had to do before starting my job less than two weeks after graduation and never needed my diploma. Picked it up a year to year and a half after graduating when I happened to be passing by my college. Nothing special.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations on graduating though! 

 

I went to my high school graduation. The experience felt special and I enjoyed it.

Something about graduation ceremony for my BA made me feel indignant and irritated to be honest. I still don't know what it was. I didn't go and haven't regretted it for the most part, that exception being that my grandmother would have enjoyed it (although she seemed fine with me skipping it). 

I will be going to my MA graduation ceremony, for my classmates and family. I don't feel mysteriously indignant at least -- I think this is because I had a better experience with this university in general and they gave me two graduate assistantships which helped pay my bills and much of my tuition. Anyway, I would regret skipping this graduation. I think my dad probably really wants to see it, and it seems like it could be a special experience with my cohort.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to my HS graduation and my Bachelors graduation. My college graduation was memorable because the Chairman of Ford Motor Company (William Clay Ford Jr) gave the Keynote and shook hands with each diploma recipient. Afterwards I enjoyed a nice dinner with family. I dont have any regrets commemorating the occasion.

Both my HS and University graduating classes were fairly small so that probably influenced my enjoying the experience more than if it was as part of some huge group of strangers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congrats, Ang!

 

I went to my undergrad graduation, and it was super long and a million degrees. Skipping the Masters graduation at the same institution was an easy choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, Congratulations Angalin.

The only graduation I ever attended was when I finished 6th grade and left elementary school. I dropped out of high school in 10th grade and got a GED. When I obtained my Associates Degree from community college I declined to go to graduation.

Don't feel I missed out on anything, I've been to a few graduations of family members, didn't feel like my kind of thing. I'm glad I have the memories of my 6th grade graduation though as that was the school I spent the most years in, 7 years, K-6th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Las Vegas does the classiest HS graduations ive observed. They have them in the Orleans Casino arena which is also a nice concert venue replete with huge overhead mega screens and tremendous amplification. So when the Valedictorian gave her address she was on this huge screen like a rock star, it was super impressive and very memorable for all involved. Better than most college commencements imo. (Of course I am biased because the ceremony was for someone in my immediate family, but thats the way I choose to remember it lol)B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I attended my High School graduation, despite being emotionally detached my junior and senior years. The ceremony was on the school track, graduating class was small, so the whole process of getting up, receiving your diploma, and fake smiling for the camera was relatively painless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to all of mine (HS, undergrad, Law School).  But I like a ceremony and I wasn't conflicted about graduating for anything but HS (but it didn't even occur to me NOT to go to that - I mean, my grandparents came and everything).  

But more seriously, hugs.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to both HS and undergrad, but I totally botched the latter. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a few other awards and was supposed to get a special recognition at the beginning of the ceremony, but I ran into some friends who were also graduating on the way and decided to pound shots with them and thus missed the beginning of graduation. The parental and grandparental units were not pleased. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to my HS graduation because I wanted to but also it was the last chance I had to tell our headmaster to go fuck himself.  Went to my college graduation because I completed mine a year later than most of my friends and they all came back for a party, so I owed it to them to walk.

Congrats Ang - so sorry you've been dealing with stresses, hopefully it's going to be smooth from here out!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to HS graduation (in Poland it's basically just the same as the ceremony after each school year, relatively painless, just for students with no special dress or photos). Actually my preschool "graduation" was a bigger deal than that :D

I'm unaware of  a graduation ceremony at my university. It's not really a done thing. I also did a correspondence masters in a UK university which had a graduation but I didn't go to that since a) it was too far and too expensive and b ) I really don't see the point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, everybody. (I tried to multiquote but it all went weird.) I did go after all: there was a low-key brunch beforehand then the full ceremony with gowns afterwards. A friend from my department sat with the twins and took lots of pictures, while the boys wondered when the Latin was ever going to end. The university livestreamed it, and it turned out some of my family actually got up early to watch it. The graduation reminded me that I'd done a degree, which has been feeling pretty far away.

Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice, it helped. :grouphug:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...