If we skip graduation, will we regret it?

dancersmom
Thu, 14 Jun 2007 21:09:06 +0000

I paid next to nothing for my D’s senior photos. My H and I took her to “The Picture Place” in our local mall. They do digital photos that are ready in about an hour. We had purchased a membership several months earlier for around $30. The membership entitled us to four sittings over a 12 month period and four 8X10s. My D brought a couple of changes of clothing with her to her senior photo sitting. (Having different poses in different outfits was the thing to do at her H.S.) D chose 2 photos after viewing her choices. We copied the photos at home on our printer in several different sizes. Had we not owned a printer we would have gone to Walmart and done as Conyat suggested.

I’m sorry that the OP’s school is holding her son’s diploma hostage. I hope that problem gets resoved quickly.

My H.S. seemed to fear that few students would voluntarily attend graduation. We were told that if we wanted to receive our diplomas, attendance at the graduation ceremony was mandatory. I would have skipped the ceremony if not for the threat. My parents had no qualm about my skipping graduation. However, we all agreed that I would go so that there would be no hassle in getting hold of the diploma.

I agree with SBMom’s assessment of graduation ceremonies. There were nearly 700 students in my graduating class. The graduation ceremony consisted of very brief remarks by an administrator and the endless reading of names. I was the class valedictorian - an honor in name only. No one ever gave a valedictory address at my H.S. It would have made the ceremony far too long! No students got any special recognition at graduation other than National Honor Society members wearing a different color collar than the other students and an asterisk by their names in the program. In a way, the top ten students in the junior class,who acted as the honorary marshalls for the senior class, received more recognition than any of the graduating seniors. The juniors had their names listed in the program along with an explanation of how they were chosen as marshalls.

For me, H.S. graduation was pretty meaningless. I would have preferred spending my afternoon watching a movie! It’s been 35 years since I graduated, and I have not changed my mind. I wouldn’t worry too much that the OP’s son will change his mind and regret not attending graduation sometime down the line. I happily skipped the graduation ceremonies for both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I’ve had no regrets!