Do you have to go to your graduation ceremony?

TheSownRose

Question from a friend.

Thank you. :smile:

No.

Original post by PerigeeApogee

No, you can graduate in absentia - it gets mailed to you.

Original post by *Darcie*

No.

Thanks - I think he'd really rather prefer to not make a spectacle of it.

Reply 3

Makubex

I'd more than love to go...and yeah I want to be the star of the show

Reply 4

Blueflare

Apparently it costs a bunch of money just to hire the daft gown for the day... if that's true, I'm totally not going.

Reply 5

little_wizard123

Original post by PerigeeApogee

It's a scam. Why pay stupid amounts of money to engage in nonsense traditions when you can get it for free through your door with no efforts incurred?

That's pathetic. You'll be in at least 20k of debt at the end of uni, and it's a final goodbye to all the friends you met on the course, and a chance to see them all graduate, along with your friends having the chance to see you too. The gown is like £38. It's not the end of the world...Obviously you'd rather not have to pay it, but it's hardly the deciding factor!

I wouldn't want to go if I didn't do well though, as I'd feel ashamed rather than proud of myself.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 6

little_wizard123

Original post by PerigeeApogee

I'm leaving a year earlier than my close group of uni coursemates, as I'm taking the Bachelor's and starting a PhD and they're continuing on to the Masters, so 'seeing chums graduate' isn't an option for me in any case - that's what happens when you make assumptiosn about people's situations - you get it wrong, and end up looking like a judgmental idiot.

I apologise for assuming you were graduating with friends.

Original post by PerigeeApogee

P.S. I'll be in 10k of debt, but why does that legitimise spending £38 on nonsense? Let me get this straight, you're studying economics, and your advice to me as a debt-stricken graduate is "since you're already in ****loads of debt, you might as well go wild and spend, spend, spend ridiculous sums of money on unnecessary trivialities"?

It was your emphasis on the cost that I was mentioning. It's hardly "ridiculous". It's the same cost as a cheap night out to celebrate (I'm sure in both our cases) three years of hard work. What's wrong with traditions? I'm assuming you'll bother with Christmas presents.

Original post by PerigeeApogee

You're right, it's not the deciding factor. The deciding factor is the at the gown forms part of a sequence of 'traditions' for which I have no inclination whatsoever, and as a result, I have absolutely no interest in attending the ceremony to honour them.

So would you attend if it was free? What is it about the tradition of a graduation ceremony that you're so against?

Reply 7

TheSownRose

Original post by PerigeeApogee

Me neither. I don't intend to go to mine.

Too much tradition and irrational nonsense. For some reason, wearing a dress, a silly hat, and receiving my degree from a man sitting on a throne in a similar dress speaking in latin and surrounded be irrelevant religious idiots seems like an unfitting way to end 4 years of serious academic pursuits.

I don't think it's the tradition that bothers him, he's just not the sort of person who would be comfortable getting on a stage in front of hundreds of people, whilst the whole event is filmed and photographed. He'd just prefer to do his final exam and slip quietly out the door.

Reply 8

little_wizard123

Original post by TheSownRose

I was a bit like this, I was so nervous when I walked across. Really didn't want to fall over...

Reply 9

TheSownRose

Original post by little_wizard123

I was a bit like this, I was so nervous when I walked across. Really didn't want to fall over...

Then why did you go if you were uncomfortable with it?

Reply 10

Philosoraptor

If you're at a university you're happy with and you're proud of your result, and want to meet up again with friends it's an excellent time!

Reply 11

little_wizard123

Original post by TheSownRose

Then why did you go if you were uncomfortable with it?

Because I'm nervous about everything; I knew I'd regret not going to my graduation and I was glad I went. Last chance to see a lot of people, and I wanted my parents to see me graduate and be proud of me. Graduation is what you aim for at University, and I just think the ceremony designed to celebrate it is worth attending.

Reply 12

TheSownRose

Original post by Philosoraptor

If you're at a university you're happy with and you're proud of your result, and want to meet up again with friends it's an excellent time!

This isn't a question about 'should I go or not', it's he's already decided he doesn't want to assuming that he's able to not.

Reply 13

Philosoraptor

Original post by TheSownRose

This isn't a question about 'should I go or not', it's he's already decided he doesn't want to assuming that he's able to not.

Ah apologies - I thought the wider argument had now moved on as to whether it's a good thing now that the question was answered.

Reply 14

TheSownRose

Original post by Philosoraptor

Ah apologies - I thought the wider argument had now moved on as to whether it's a good thing now that the question was answered.

Yeah... Don't really know where that came from, it was originally about whether you have to or not.

Luckily for him, the answer appears to be no.

Reply 15

DJKL

On a practical note, if anyone does not want to attend their graduation, but wants the "photograph" for their parents etc, in Edinburgh at least you used, a long time ago, to be able to go to Jenners who would lend you the appropriate hood and a gown to sit for the photo.

You had, of course, to pay for the photographer, but you did not need to attend the ceremony or hire the gown/hood.

I did in fact attend my graduation at Edinburgh, however as we were in a hurry to go to lunch I arranged to have my photographs done a few days later.

I must admit having by then attended one I did not bother when I later graduated from Aberdeen.

Reply 16

username94219

You don't have to go to your graduation ceremony no, but it is a nice buzz to actually wear the ''outfit'' for a few hours and get your degree officially confirmed, even if it is a hand shake on stage! lol

Reply 17

TheSownRose

Original post by DancinBallerina

But as I said somewhere, it's not really a question about whether to go or not - he already knows he doesn't want to, just making sure that he didn't have to.

Reply 18

username94219

Original post by Blueflare

Apparently it costs a bunch of money just to hire the daft gown for the day... if that's true, I'm totally not going.

Yea, £40 for the outfit for 2hours and £15 each for ticket (at my uni). I believe some uni graduate ceremony tickets are free?

Original post by TheSownRose

But as I said somewhere, it's not really a question about whether to go or not - he already knows he doesn't want to, just making sure that he didn't have to.