Graduation

Okay, so my highschool commencement is tonight. My mom really wants me to go, but I really don't want to go.

As far as I'm concerned it's a waste of time, money and as far as I'm concerned it's something I'm expected to do. Why do people make such a big deal about it? Post Secondary is one thing. It's beyond what is expected, it's a lot harder, and it leaves you a much smarter person leading into a career, and it's the end of school altogether. That is something to be proud of and celebrate.

Highschool I found rather easy, I'm still in school after that, sure it got me into my college cooking program, but I still have a long way to go. It's not like I've had a hard life, struggled through school, dropped out or anything. I know I'm probably exagerating things a bit out of frustration, but I'm looking at this as my mom saying to me "I'm so proud you actually graduated, I didn't expect you to make it this far!" which I would take as an insult...

Anyways, any other thoughts on graduation?

Graduating is fun, but overrated.

I'm the opposite. I have to apply to graduate from my university by the 16th, and even though the fee for the ceremony is built-in, I have no interest in actually attending my graduation ceremony. Just mail me my diploma and be done with it.

But for my high school graduation, I knew that I would be going to that for sure. I had already been at university for a few weeks, and I knew that commencement was going to be the last time I'd see a lot of the faces that I had seen day-in and day-out for four years. I think acknowledging the end of that era was important, and I knew it was a pseudo-way of saying goodbye to some of the people that had made an impact on me, whether they be fellow students or teachers or administration or whatever. It was a 'one last hurrah' for my graduating class, for most of us all to be together for one more time.

But with university...I don't really know anyone in my program. There are faces I recognize, sure, maybe even some names I know, but I'm not really friends with any of them. For me, a graduation ceremony is a communal experience, something you share with the people graduating with you. I don't really know any of these people, so I'm not particularly interested in sitting around for hours on end while their names are read out. With high school graduation, I knew the names, I knew the faces, I had stories to go along with them. With university, there's none of that for me. I just don't care enough to attend and get all dolled up in the gown and whatnot.

That's just my thought process behind the whole thing.

I see what you're saying Noaln. I guess if that's the case I can understand it being a big deal. But in my case I only know a couple people who are actually moving away for Uni, and not many of them I'd call close friends anyways. I still still a lot of my good friends on a regular basis, so I'm not really saying last goodbyes to them.

I ended up going to university with a lot of my good friends from high school, probably about five or six of them. I only see one of them on a regular basis, because I live with him, and only see the others a few times a year. We live within twenty minutes of each other on a bus, closer than we lived in the city we came from.

Proximity doesn't always mean your relationship with people is going to remain the same. Doesn't mean it will, of course, but definitely not something I would count on based on my own experiences.

Well I get a ride to school with two of them, another one's in my class, I hang out with my best firend and his GF (also a good friend) all the time still, our other friend who actually moved to Barrie we still end up seeing a lot, and we all get together at least once a month.

I'm still trying to weasle my way out of going tonight.

"Part of me says 'just go and get it over with' and this other part of me says 'it's this stupid tradition, and what's the point?'"

"Well, you could say life itself is just a stupid tradition. But don't analyze it. Just go."

Even though it is just graduation from high school, which even to me was not much of an achievement, it is really not that big of a deal. You are just making it one.

If this will make your mother happy, then just do it. That is the important part. Don't make her miss out on her kid's graduation. =/ Parents dig that crap. And someday, if you ever have children, you will understand.

Life is full of stupid traditions like this, that you will feel obligated to do. So you may as well get used to it.

Just go to your graduation and get it over with. It ain't going to kill you.

pfft I didn't even want to walk down the thing or even do the ceremony! but I did it because my mom wanted to see one of her children do it, cause my older brother didn't graduate, so yeah suck it up and get it done.

At this point I only want my diploma because a teacher said he would only give me a high five at my graduation.

So I have to.

Well, I can see where you're coming from. People blow it way out of proportion. Really, I don't feel that a celebration is need. Though, i'm like you, and high school has been so easy, it doesn't feel like an accomplishment.
People like to congratulate you for everything up to a certain age. I went to my little brother's grade 6 graduation (even less important than something like grade 12 grad, but, whatever) And I was shocked at the crap they congratulate these kids for. It's rediculous, but I realized that after a while, you won't be treated like that anymore. You wont get a special ceremony for every little thing you do, so I say, cherish it while it lasts. Go to your grad, even if you don't think it's important.
Or, have I misenterpreted this thread? I feel like I may have.

I'd look forward to graduating and the ceremony, just to get the hell out of this high school mess.

Originally Posted by Ty

Well, I can see where you're coming from. People blow it way out of proportion. Really, I don't feel that a celebration is need. Though, i'm like you, and high school has been so easy, it doesn't feel like an accomplishment.
People like to congratulate you for everything up to a certain age. I went to my little brother's grade 6 graduation (even less important than something like grade 12 grad, but, whatever) And I was shocked at the crap they congratulate these kids for. It's rediculous, but I realized that after a while, you won't be treated like that anymore. You wont get a special ceremony for every little thing you do, so I say, cherish it while it lasts. Go to your grad, even if you don't think it's important.
Or, have I misenterpreted this thread? I feel like I may have.

I think congratulations should be saved for things that deserve it. other wise, when you do something you should feel proud of, it doesn't feel as good.

I hated my graduation, it was boring and hot but I guess it was a sucess compared to my brother's and friend's graduations. At both of them someone got heat stroke.

No, what you should do is drop out and give up all hope for your generation like many have done before.

Snow Sorm, you've inspired me to do nothing with my life! Consider me dropped out.