Before people get worried about the title of this thread and think I'm going to write a post about being a cheating, lying low-life who tries to deceive my way to a good career, this is not about lying to any prospective company about my grades. I don't believe that is fair and, regardless, I believe that most would carry out the necessary research to verify what one is claiming to have achieved.
What this thread is about is lying to people around me about what I achieve. I receive my results on Thursday and I am incredibly anxious about them, as I believed I have not achieved a 2:1. I know that a 2:2 is not an awful degree and that I should still be fairly happy, but I am surrounded by friends who are getting 2:1s and my family expect me to get a 2:1.
The purpose of this thread is to ask anybody who has experience of graduating how feasible it is to cover up what degree you have achieved. I am now aware that your degree classification is not announced as you receive it, so I know I'd be ok with that, but I'm wondering whether the classification is shown on whatever documentation you receive (presumably this consists of a scroll on the day and a certificate later posted to your address?) and if there are any other things that would give it away that I have lied about what I achieve.
I'm not looking for people to tell me why lying about my degree is wrong and that I should just be honest. I know I should be honest, but at this moment in time the hurt I would feel upon disappointing those around me far outweighs any guilt I could ever feel at deceiving them on the outcome. I know I will probably regret it one day but then I'll have to live with that. I may even end up being honest with people later in my life when I am settled in a job and my degree classification is no longer of any significance.
So yeah, I know graduation ceremonies differ slightly with different universities but generally speaking, could people with experience of these give me any idea as to how feasible it would be to lie about what I get?