Graduation

[Eastern Girl]

Just got official word from my school that I have finally graduated, I finally got my degree. I am pretty happy, but I can't decide whether to go to the Convocation ceremony. Did any of you go to yours, was it worth it? Good memories or bad?

[Cheese]

Of course you should go...you deserve it!
There will only be one ceremony and this is it.

Seems like we have a few graduaters this year....Hesla is now an Optometrist.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Bad. My $40 rental cap and gown smelled like vomit, and it was about 35 degrees in the UofC gym. They were installing a new Chancellor who proceded to enlighten us with a 45 minute tale of boredom. Perhaps if the grad ceremony was steeped a little more in tradition like at some Universities it would have meant more, but at UofC it's pretty much just like a high school grad.

If it were just me, I would have ticked off the "mail to me" option, but lets face it, you do it for family.

[return to the red]

I was slurpin on a mickey of southern comfort the whole time and thank god I had it because it was so Freakin boring!!

[ah123]

I would suggest you go and enjoy the moment...it is something you might never have the opportunity to do again...I remember coming out of the "tunnel" into the packed hall and it was an amazing feeling...

[Bobblehead]

IHH is correct - it is for the family. Especially since the lined my faculty up in alphabetical order, so there was no one around me I knew. My parents were pretty happy, so I guess it was worth it.

[Buff]

Did you go to your high school convocation?

My mom had to miss my high school convocation because she was in the hospital so I went to my convocation so she could say that she saw me graduate from at least one of my convocations.

I'm indifferent to convocations. It was fun to hang out with some my class for one last time (we already had our grad party). Not everybody was there, but we had quite a large contingent of our class show up. We did the go up on stage and get our paper saying we know something and then when we were dismissed, as we walked out of the auditorium the hallway was lined up with all the instructors and staff of the school and they were applauding us. It was kinda cool. "Damn, that is for me. I really do deserve this after all that hard work." It felt really good, it was a good way to receive recognition for all the hard work I put in to graduate.

So that made it worth it for me. Sitting and listening to the speakers and watching people I never met from other programs get their papers wasn't too much fun. The thought of the convocation doesn't appeal to me, but the feeling I got after going through it all was definitely worth it.

[BerubeHater]

I skipped mine and went travelling. From what I hear, I made the right choice.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

Just got official word from my school that I have finally graduated, I finally got my degree. I am pretty happy, but I can't decide whether to go to the Convocation ceremony. Did any of you go to yours, was it worth it? Good memories or bad?

I regret not going to mine. I never really cared and at the time I didn't even consider going but just last week I stumbled across the program that they mailed me and it was the first time I even opened it. Flipping through it I was thinking "damn, I really should have gone to this thing".

It would have made the old people happy and hey, they paid for it.

[JiriHrdina]

Just got back from mine in fact (the 2nd time around for me)

You should go. Its an important moment and a chance to share it with people you care about.

[@theCBE]

I went more for my parents sake rather than my own... but once it actually happened I was pretty glad I was there. Everyone makes a big deal about and recognizes what an a great accomplishment it is. I actully enjoyed the Faculty breakfast more than the convocation ceremony, it was more intimate and the guest speakers better.

All of this talk about graduation is making me really excited about going back.

[Eastern Girl]

Originally Posted by Buff

Did you go to your high school convocation?

I did not go to my high school convocation. They held it on a weekday in October, and I had already left for school and couldn't get back in time because of classes. I don't regret that though, I hated my high school. Such a horrible place. Plus, I hear they put together a montage of pictures and put it to that cheesy Vitamin C "Graduation" Song. Glad I missed that drivel.

[calf]

I'm going to mine next week. I don't really want to...most of my friends graduated last year, but it will be good to see the ones that stuck around a little while longer too.

I had to go to my brother's convocation a few years ago, which was several hours I'll never get back, since I decided to go, he has to come to mine now. I figure spite is a pretty good reason to attend convocation.

[Eastern Girl]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Just got back from mine in fact (the 2nd time around for me)

You should go. Its an important moment and a chance to share it with people you care about.

The problem with that though is that my parents won't be there for various (stupid) reasons. So, there won't be anyone in the audience there to see me, unless I force my friends to go.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

I went to mine, but mostly for my family.
The only part that was good was the actual getting of the degree and my 15 seconds of greatness watlking the stage.
I slept through most of the speaches, because the guest speaker pretty much just talked about herself, and the UofC President is a freakin tool.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by calf

I'm going to mine next week. I don't really want to...most of my friends graduated last year, but it will be good to see the ones that stuck around a little while longer too.

I had to go to my brother's convocation a few years ago, which was several hours I'll never get back, since I decided to go, he has to come to mine now. I figure spite is a pretty good reason to attend convocation.

Calf......Haskayne ceremony, right? Where do we have to be and when? I lost my sheet that was mailed to me.

[RedMan12]

Congratulations to everyone graduating. Thought I would share my high school graduation story with you all...

Ahh I remember mine. I was not allowed to go because I made a comic book parody about my high school. It had no foul language or obscene drawings and had a disclaimer in the front. I was not distributing the comic either. It was using characters that resembled people from high school, but all had different names and drawn characture style.

Someone stole a page with the main character thinking in a thought bubble saying "man, this school is so ######ed I wish I could shoot myself." It was an exaggeration. He was not going to literally shoot himself. They then turned it into the assistant principal


So anyways I was not feeling good and was leaving to go home early and the security guard approached me and told me to go see the assistant principal. I was well aquatinted with him and he told me to give him the comic. I refused and he called the police. They searched me, asked me if I was in the trench coat mafia, if I owned any guns or knives or wanted to commit suicide. I replied no the Trench Coat mafia and no to if I wanted to commit suicide and said well I do have a knife... It’s a Boy Scout pocket knife at home.

They then forced me to give them the comic or they were going to take me "downtown." I didn’t really want to go the police station so I gave them the comic. The police looked over, let out a chuckle when they saw my drawing of the assistant principal character and saw the disclaimer in the front, they said there was nothing they could do. No one could press charges so they left.

After the police left the principal told me I was going to be expelled and not allowed to graduate that year. He then called my mom at work and made her come to the office. She showed up and looked at the comic and told the sweaty principal that the comic was not that bad and asked why I was getting expelled and not allowed to graduate. The principal stood his ground and said it would have to be reviewed by the school board.

Later we got home and my mom called the assistant principal again and started yelling at him saying you are being harsh on my son, being expelled is for violent acts and drug use at school. She kept arguing with him, then I got only 2 weeks suspension, was not allowed to attend graduation ceremony, but would graduate that year.

All for a comic parody that was completely fiction. It was a nice 2 week vacation, and in my entire grade 12 year of high school I missed 45 days, which is one quarter and still graduated with good grades. Ahh the life of a slacker.

Didnt go to my college graduation either. I could not wait until I was finished there.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

I regret not going to mine. I never really cared and at the time I didn't even consider going but just last week I stumbled across the program that they mailed me and it was the first time I even opened it. Flipping through it I was thinking "damn, I really should have gone to this thing".

It would have made the old people happy and hey, they paid for it.

That is another reason why I went to mine. I figured what harm can wasting a couple of hours do? At least I'll know that somewhere down the line I won't regret not going.

[Calgary Flames]

I didn't go... then again it was only a 6 month course although incredibly intense I didn't feel that attatched. Most of my buddies from my program didn't go.

High School I can see, but College. Seems like a big waste of time IMO. Been there done that.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

The problem with that though is that my parents won't be there for various (stupid) reasons. So, there won't be anyone in the audience there to see me, unless I force my friends to go.

Well part of it is also sharing it with the people you went through the program with, depending on how close a group you are. The program I just graduated from was a tight knit group of around 45 that grew close over the last 2 years. A big part of joy of the ceremony was sharing it with that group of friends that will now all be heading off across the country (after one more big bash tonight of course).