Did you walk?

[WavesSootheMe]

When I graduated from high school, I went along with the whole ceremony, but I was sitting with my peers and because of the personal touches from friends and family it could mean something to me.

When I graduated from college, I decided to not walk. I couldn't rationalize spending extra money (after all of that tuition and room and board) on the cap and gown and invitations etc etc etc just to wake up super early (I am not a morning person) and sit with 100s of strangers for two hours just to walk to a stage shake someone's hand and not even get my diploma. The important thing to me was that I was done and I would have my diplomas in the near future. I, instead, moved out of my place that morning and went out to lunch/dinner with just my family to celebrate.

How about you? Did you walk?

[Henry]

Yes, because I was pretty happy in college, and knew the workplace would be very different. Psychological closure re college was important.

[Headstrong]

I just graduated high school and am I'm in my first semester of college, so feel free to disregard this. It's a bunch of rambling anyway. :-D

I was looking through my college's calendar not too long ago and noticed all these graduation dates, which caused me to think about my graduations. I'm currently attending a community college and will only be there for two years. I really don't see the point in walking. I just want to graduate, move onto a bigger college, and obtain my Ph.D. I have yet to talk with my parents about it considering it's a year and a half away, but I hope they don't freak out. In all reality...the walk means nothing besides physically showing everyone you graduated. I figure if I attend all my graduations, it'll be at least three. That's a lot (of money). I don't think I will have gained a lot of close friendships either, so all more the reason not to walk. Darn social rituals...

[Amaranth]

I walked, but more out of consideration for my family than for my own purposes (how un-INTJ of me, I know). I realized that while I had worked my ass off and I FELT accomplished, the only way to share that accomplishment with others is through a formal affair. It's kind of the same way I view weddings; if you're getting married, hopefully you KNOW you're committed, but you invite others to a formal ceremony so that THEY can know you're serious. Otherwise there'd only be three people at the wedding - the couple and the officiant (or more people if you're polygamous, perhaps). Or maybe...people wouldn't feel the need to have a wedding ceremony at all!

[WavesSootheMe]

I realized that while I had worked my ass off and I FELT accomplished, the only way to share that accomplishment with others is through a formal affair.

So my informal affair of spending time with my family in celebration wasn't a way to share the event with them? :( I wanted to share it with them, not with them and every other person in either of my two majors. If my parents really, really wanted me to walk, I probably would have accepted it as part of life, but they thankfully didn't seem too jazzed on driving up there and getting a hotel and the whole deal either. They totally understood keeping it small and painless :).

[TruorTupnm]

I walked. Didn't wish to. There was no point in wasting money on some cap as well as gown that I'd never use again, I figured. Also, most of my friendly acquaintances had been in years ahead of me. I barely even knew the names of the humans in my own class. I protested, but my mother said, "Shut up. This is for me, not you, and we'll all go out and have a nice meal, afterwards." I said, "But why care? Also, we could go out to eat, no matter what." To which she hissed, "Uh, oh! I said shut up. You don't wish to eat?" "Argh. Okay, yes, I wish to eat." :rolleyes: The only good thing was the someone sang something and actually had a surprisingly decent voice.

[Wildflower]

I didn't walk in high school. I felt so alienated by people who had treated me as an outcast for years, I had my whole life at that point outside of school, I couldn't see why I should go.

I walked at college graduation, it was a whole other world and time in my life. But I felt strangely let down afterwards. My father wouldn't fly out for the ceremony so it was just me and my husband there. During the ceremony there was a time for parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, aunts and uncles to stand and take a round of appaluse for their support of us during college years, but never for spouses.

Many of us started shouting for them to call for appaluse for spouses and it became real loud because it was school predominately with older students many married, but the speaker just went right on with the ceremony. So the person who gave me the most financial, practical and moral support didn't get recognition. It sort of sucked.

[LSB]

I have never attended any of these ceremonies so I'm not sure if we have something like that here. I got all of my diplomas in the mail.

[deicruxified]

yes because i have to prove my parents something - i did what they want so now, let me do what i want. happy at the same time because i was only 19 then and the faculty at the philosophy department wanted me to march since i'm the first youngest grad. however, the entire ceremony i spent eating candy and sleeping (i'm still a kid) because i was on night shift and my duty ended 6am while the ceremony started at 7am.

i never included myself in the yearbook because it's not that necessary.

[Rick]

Walked in high school - not in college. My parents had gotten a divorce not too long before I finished high school, then neither came to graduation because they thought the other was going to be there. I made excuses about not going to college graduation (mostly about the expense) and had the diploma mailed to me.

[WavesSootheMe]

I have never attended any of these ceremonies so I'm not sure if we have something like that here. I got all of my diplomas in the mail.

Yea, I'm aware that the ritual isn't a world-wide thing. I had to explain the idea to my students in France when I brought in photos from home. We still get the diploma in the mail or at some booth later in the day. It's not actually at the ceremony. Both my high school and college were rather large. I don't know if it's different elsewhere.

[Amaranth]

So my informal affair of spending time with my family in celebration wasn't a way to share the event with them? :( I wanted to share it with them, not with them and every other person in either of my two majors. If my parents really, really wanted me to walk, I probably would have accepted it as part of life, but they thankfully didn't seem too jazzed on driving up there and getting a hotel and the whole deal either. They totally understood keeping it small and painless :).

That's the thing, it would've been great if they wanted an informal celebration. That would've been much more comfortable for me. But they were hooked on the whole cap and gown, walk across the stage, and strike a pose deal. So no, I didn't mean to imply that you can't share the event informally with your family. I was only referring to my own situation, in which my family would've been quite disappointed if I didn't participate in the ceremony. :thinking:

[Maitri1970]

When I graduated from high school, I went along with the whole ceremony, but I was sitting with my peers and because of the personal touches from friends and family it could mean something to me.

When I graduated from college, I decided to not walk. I couldn't rationalize spending extra money (after all of that tuition and room and board) on the cap and gown and invitations etc etc etc just to wake up super early (I am not a morning person) and sit with 100s of strangers for two hours just to walk to a stage shake someone's hand and not even get my diploma. The important thing to me was that I was done and I would have my diplomas in the near future. I, instead, moved out of my place that morning and went out to lunch/dinner with just my family to celebrate.

How about you? Did you walk?
I didn't walk for my undergraduate degree because it seemed too ritualistic. I now realize that graduation ceremonies are more for parents than for me. I should have walked because it was really important to my parents but, at the time, it seemed irrelevant to me. I had earned my degree. Walking didn't matter to me at the time so I didn't.

[clam]

I didn't walk either for my undergrad... but I think that was probably a stupid thing to do. The graduation is showing appreciation not only for your own hardwork, but the support your family gave you on the way. Might as well take some pictures with your hat, even if it is for show and against traditional practicality of INTJs.

[Danisty]

No, I got screwed by my senior year English teacher and had to graduate summer school and I so no point in walking with a bunch of losers (which I was not because I was screwed over). I didn't walk in college either because I really didn't see any point in it.

[Pinkie]

Not when I finished school, no. I believe I went carol singing instead, actually, which was much more fun than standing in a line wearing uncomfortable clothing waiting to shake the hand of some unnecessary bigwig in aid of receiving a piece of paper. I probably won't bother when I finish university, either. I'd rather just go out with my friends and skip the ritual crap.

[BadMojo]

Every time I've sat through such ceremonial BS I've always looked at the speaker with small amount of malice in my eyes while thinking: "STFU! So we can go drink beer!"

[Ryokurin]

I walked, but I really wasn't feeling it. The two people that I really wanted to see it, my aunt, who was like a mother to me and my grandfather both died within a year of that point and a few other people couldn't make it. I just did it and quietly left since I drove myself to the auditorium. Overall I was just wanting to move on with my life at that point.