Casual Fridays: Graduation ceremonies

My answers probably affected by the fact that I grew up in Britain where you could only graduate from University; Bachelors and beyond.

I only went to my own PhD ceremony. I refused to go to my BSc ceremeny at London University on political grounds - why should I go to ceremony to receive a degree from a member of the royalty who hasn't got one herself?

My answers aren't entirely accurate. I checked "siblings" when I meant "friends" (I wouldn't bother for my half-siblings, since we don't really stay in touch, and "friends" wasn't an option).

As far as my own go, I didn't graduate from high school (although I attended my friends' graduation) and I'm skipping my college graduation to go to a conference (although I did fly to go to an A.A. graduation for some friends a few years back -- but I also visited, as I wouldn't buy a plane ticket just for a graduation).

My dad has refused to go to any of his kids' college graduations; my mom would have gone to mine if I'd been going. Graduations just aren't something of great symbolic importance in my family.

I didn't go to my sister's high school or college grad because I was in CA going to college/working when she had hers in upstate NY. And I never grew up w/ nieces and nephews so I never celebrated what they did. I think this questionnaire depends on the family & the culture too; my parents were pretty solitary at times...

I doubt my sister will go back to college, but the relation is strained so even if she does I probably won't attend her graduation unless she actively tries to improve the relationship beyond forcing me under her husband's rule again (he had me evicted, by the police, over not having a job for the winter break, as well as probably the arguments I had with him over this issue). As for my own college graduation, unless I somehow win the lottery I will be more interested in putting the money I'd spend on the gown, cap, etc. towards perhaps getting a job or better living conditions. If I have children but don't live with them anytime before they head off to college, it will either be impossible (or really difficult) to attend any of their graduations anyway. As for graduation and further college traversal, I'll attend what my kids decide to attend (too bad I couldn't say that on the survey). Nieces and nephews will probably only see my face if I'm asked to come with other family members.

So, yeah, it really does depend on the family situation.

While I will attand anything that my kids do, or my wife does, or, if it is close enough, what my brother does, I will not attend my own graduation once I finally get that PhD. I detest the whole pompous ceremony. Just send me the diploma by mail, please.

I have to say that graduations are truly the most boring ceremonies I can think of. I'd rather go to a bar mitzvah or a baptism or even a Christmas pageant. Even my OWN graduations have been excruciatingly dull, and I knew many of the other people on stage. I would never ever expect my loved ones to sit through those ceremonies. They've helped support me throughout my education, so they've earned the right to skip out on the boring parts!

I didn't attend my high school graduation, and to this day I have no regrets. I did graduate with honors, so perhaps I should have gone, but the entire ceremony seemed so pointless. It involoves spending entirely too much money, and with all the bs that took place in that school, i just couldn't see any reason to cough up any large amount of cash for a two hour ceremony.

It really doesn't mean that much in the grand scheme of things. I picked my diploma up in the school office a few days after graduation, and it meant the same thing to me. It was still a piece of paper that I earned for 12 years of hard work. My mother was at first disappointed that I didn't want to go, but as time went on she began to understand my reasons for not wanting to attend.

I still don't know if I will attend my college graduation in a couple years. Right now, I just don't see the point.