I was just wondering what people's experiences were/expextations are of their graduation ceremonies.

I've just received my information pack and to be honest the ceremony does not interest me at all. I thinks its because it combines all the things i hate- rules, traditions, having to wear certain clothes, exploiting people (with overpriced photographs) . I dont particularly like any kind of ceremony but it seems so pointless to me to have such a big fuss and waste money to get a certificate that could be sent in the post.

Anyway, my parents are looking forward to it and since they're the ones that have paid my way through uni, im going to attend my ceremony.

Do you think im missing something and i should be excited, or do you agree with me and think it's just one big farce?

Girl21 congrats...i'v will be formerlygraduating in December too.It isjust pomp and ceremony as you will have got your certificate in the post way b4 the actual event; which is just for you to parade across the stage and shake somebodies hand blkblah, take photos; which you already stated is at an extortionate rate! However, why not go through all of the pomp and ceremony...you have earned it, anditwill official delare you are now a graduatewhen you take the pics in your overly cost price gown (lol) It is also for your nearest and dearest to officially celebrate with you.

I know people who have forgone this oppourtunity - mainly those who have gone for a second degree or aMasters. The choice is yours. I plan to don the big gown...I'v earned it. Glory to the good lord.

Girl,

I 'm in my mid thrities and just graduated from college last year. Intially, as a full gorwn adult, I thought to myself," Blah, Blah, Blah what is the big deal about walking doen the aisle anyway?....", but then, there was a man who was older than me who was getting his bachelor's degree. He told me that he was 65 and another woman who was 40, who was doing it for he kids because she dropped out out of itand realized the importance of having one.

My reason why I walked down the aisle: Milestones. In the past , I didn't see myslef going to college. I just thought that I didn't need it to prove my intelligence as I thought that I had it before college and that a degree wa sonly a summary of what you done. My mind changed when I seen a group of kids, just cutting up very badly on the bus and my nephews. I remembered that bus Driver being so upset that he threatened to call the police to have them escorted ofd the bus. One smart-alecky boy in particular, just thought the whole thing was a joke to him, but one older guy, I guess he looked like he was in early 50's and he wasalso so angry at the boy, that he literally threw the boyback in hisseat and talked with him. The man kept talking about the days, where he acted like him and how much trouble he got him. He dropped out and the whole shabang. To sum it up, he talked about he couldn't get to far without a GED or diploma and even jobs like janitoral work requires it, how he was locked up behind bars and lived onthe streets, gave the young man a dose of his own medience by joking about the C, d, and F's, he so " proudly" was telling his peers on the bus" telling him what girl wanted a guy who was dumb and uncommitted as he was? He was highly embarassed after that.

Then I thought about my nephews. I often believe that to be the example, you must show it and you must display standards. What wil it look like for me to express the imprtance of something, but I'm not doing it myself? On top of that, we cannot afford to be lax about life. In these school, they are making more and more requirements for these kids to graduate from high school. I want my nephews to be competitive, no excuses in it whatsoever. We cannot depend on our schools to educate them as, education starts at home, as even if all education did start in the schools, our schools tend to have educators that don't care about the educational well being fo the studentsor they don't know any more than we do.

Now I look back and think, I've came this far in my life. earning something that I didn't think could happen to me and almost could care less about. Far as my nephews, they got to see their aunt graduate and to see that they shouldn't just stop with High school( although it would certainly be their choice of what they want to do with their lives).. Sometimes, even before I graduated,sometimes took them with my to my classes( I had nice professors and with the exception of my geology classes, they didn't mind at all). Once class ended, they would tell me that they wanted to go where I went--college because of some of the positive things they experienced there( for kids that is).

For me, graduation was more than just a reminder of my completion of college, but it reminded me of how far I came in my life and spreadingt he same message to my nephews, hoping that they will spread it to their little ones. My grandfather was a college graduate and I remembered him telling me the same thing, but thinking " College is for elitists and how I didn't want to go there. I'm glad that I didn't turn my cheek because I would have been cheating myself and moreso, my community.

it just a rite people do in life. do it 4 fam congrats!

I did not enjoy my graduation ceremony...

It was the hottest day of the year last year...I don't know what I expected but I thought it would be an amazing day and I would feel great etc...but I did not?confused3

Don't get me wrong, Iam proud of what I achieved, especially considering I was always told that I would not amount to anything...but the ceremony was not what I had anticipated...:?

Now a year on, I realise that all that pomp and fuss is just for your friends/family to celebrate in what you have achieved. Having a degree does not make you 'who you are', it is who you are that makes you who you are.

i did it twice (ba and pgce) and both times were only a day or so from my birthday in july and i thouroughly enjoyed both days (though i prefer my second set of grad pictures lol)

call me pessimistic, but i feel like i am unlikely to get married. so for me my grad ceremonies were the next best thing. Totally pathetic, i know, but such is my sad life

if i never had to study for it, i'd do it again lol

even if you hate it for yourself, give your family the chance to beam with pride!! and buying the pics isn;t mandatory, if your folks want them, let them pay! personally i got the whole shebang including the book and video lol (not a t shirt though, too tacky even for me!)

well ive not finished my exams yet so i hope ive notgot too far ahead ofmyself! my sis has now got the whole day planned and its touching that she and my parents are so excited about it. my sis is even making our16yo brother come too because she sees it such a big occasion.

@babygirl

im one of those people who would hope for a simple wedding abroad - can not imagine parading round in a funny dress in front of loads of people and paying big money for the priveledge!

Well (god willing) I will have two more grad ceremonies to do, one for my Master's and then when I go on to do the PGCE, and who knows I might take it a step further and do a PhD (). However, I am not doing all these things for the ceremonies, I actually enjoy learning......I know mad eh?

Oh yes I forgot to add why I did not enjoy my ceremony...only my dad, mum, and sister came. My brother's wife stopped him from coming. I had bought them both a ticket, she said she couldn't take a day-off work (whatever!), so anyway I gave her ticket to my good friend, and then right up until the night before my brother did not want to come...by which time I had already sold the ticket to someone else, and I couldn't go back on this deal as I had promised the person the ticket. Families...confused3

girl21 wrote: Did the gown pics and shaking hands on stage thing. I wanted to say something when I got up there but by the time the host built me up I just thought best not to say anything because I would have just balled. Seriously! I had just had my little man about 6 weeks prior and he got to come too. He had to be because he shared my struggles while I carried him to college and studied at night those months back lol. But yes emotions were running very high that day. It meant more to me the second time round for some reason though.

I hope you acknowledge that although this ceremony is against what you may believe in, it is just the systems way of confirming what you know and knew all along, that you havewhat it takesto succeed in your goal.

For 1 day at least get into it. This graduation for your current hard work is only going to happen once. Even if you may not see it now, enjoythe because you DO deserve it!

Walking this Aug and I can't wait........Ours is only four hours and few more hours in my home for family and friends.

For me, I see this not only for me but for my family and those who helped me and shared my four year Journey.....(Not only friends and friends, but also two high school teachers and three Uni prof. who were instrumental in my education will be there)

Hope U went and enjoyed.