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[goingcrazy]

Who out there cares(ed) about the actual graduation ceremony?

I have been working like a madwoman trying to get my dissertation done just so I can be hooded during the big graduation in May. Now, even though I have worked like a crazy person, it may not happen. I really don't give a crap about the rinky-dink graduation in the summer or even in December. I feel like the past six years of work will be anticlimactic if I do not go through the actual graduation.

What are your thoughts?

[red_queen]

I wasn't able to attend the PhD graduation ceremony (for various reasons, none of which are particularly interesting). I don't regret not having attended, though. For me the ceremony itself seemed anticlimactic. The defense and final submission, the letters from the grad office and department, those were the big things.  And, of course, the diploma when it arrived by mail --  I didn't regret that I hadn't walked to receive it.

[dr_dre]

If you can't do it, it's not a big deal. But I really enjoyed mine. My advisor was there to hood me and it was actually a really cool moment, waiting in line and joking around before they called us to the podium. I had a great day.

[grasshopper]

I walked for my MA degree, but then skipped out before we got to the thousands (kajillions!!!) of undergrads that would have come after. After I walked off the stage, I just kept walking. All these "ushers" (they were more like secret service agents) kept trying to herd me back to the corral with the rest of the graduates. I had to jump a railing and three barriers (two velvet ropes and an actual wooden barrier), and tell two ushers that I had to pee (one of them followed me to the bathroom) in my ultimately successful efforts to escape the tedium of watching thousands of undergrads receive their degrees.

I suggest doing something like this. You'd get to live an adventure story AND get hooded.

[ursula]

If you're at a university with a very large and vocal undergraduate presence (think football school), then graduating at the big spring/summer ceremony can be dreary.  It's all full of noisy exhibitionists.  In these situations, the December ceremony would be more intimate, anyway.

I took my BA at the June ceremony, with my "class", and my MA at the October ceremony, which was held on Hallowe'en.  I attended both of these partly because I'm a big sucker for ritual, and partly because my mother would be there because they were at her alma mater.  I missed my PhD ceremony, because I had a full class schedule of teaching that day.

[dept_geek]

I went to all of mine. I *earned* my moment in the sun, and the parties afterwards. I wasn't going to miss it.

When we, as faculty, have to go to commencement, we console ourselves by reminding each other "it's not our day. it belongs to the graduates." This is true no matter which side of the diploma envelope you are on.

[vardahilwen]

I attended my Master's graduation ceremony and plan to attend my Ph.D. one too.  I want to wear the cool robes :)

[samspade]

I graduated from the ultimate football school, and I still loved the ceremony. Remember its not just about you, its about your family and friends-or least saying, "screw you, see I did graduate."

[hmaria1609]

I went to graduation ceremonies for my undergrad and grad.  I attend a 4 year college and the ceremony was in mid-May. I had attended the same college as my dad so it was special.
For grad school, I graduated from a predominant undergrad state university in Dec. (Master's was the highest degree) Definitely not so crowded. It was nice meeting the distance ed students in the MLS program who made it out to the university and other graduate students. The university president hooded us graduate students (lemon yellow for Lib. Sci) My academic advisor shook hands with me after I came off the stage. Plus I got to see my undergrad roomie walk that day too.
What's with the sleeves on the master's gown?  Then again, you can hide stuff in them!

[post_doc4now]

Both of my MA and PhD graduations were "graduate school" graduations only.  So I didn't have to sit through undergrads. 

It was fun, my family is very big on rituals.  The hooding was a little strange but hey it only happens once.

[vardahilwen]

What's with the sleeves on the master's gown?  Then again, you can hide stuff in them!

That's what the bat-wings are for.  I had a small bottle of water down one, and tissues and hard candy down the other.

I heard that the hood was originally conceived as a way for people to "gift" an academic/intellectual.  In polite society, teachers were not supposed to charge money for their instruction, but as you walked through town in your hood, people could discreetly put food and money in the folds.  Kinda strange.

Vardahilwen

[plantscience]

Both of my MA and PhD graduations were "graduate school" graduations only.  So I didn't have to sit through undergrads. 

It was fun, my family is very big on rituals.  The hooding was a little strange but hey it only happens once.

So were mine and they were a lot of fun. I was my MS advisor's last grad student so it was a big deal for him and my family flew in from out-of-state to see me walk for the PhD. The parties afterwards were really, really fun and it was such a joyous moment!

My diplomas are proudly hanging in my office. Are yours?

[sugaree]

My diplomas are proudly hanging in my office. Are yours?

Only my doctoral degree is hanging in the office (not sure if I could find my other diplomas?). I did not, however, attend my graduate ceremonies. I got my MA/PhD at the same institution, so the Master's was really just one "step" in the overall process and wasn't a big deal. I didn't defend my diss in time to march in the spring graduation, and the following year when I "qualified" to attend, I was busy grading my own students' finals on the other side of the country. Alas. I do teach at a school now that's big on ceremony, so I went ahead and got the costume, which I wear to graduations these days.

[mended_drum]

I hadn't planned to attend my Ph.D. ceremony, but when I casually mentioned that fact to my parents, they were outraged, and insisted on driving for over a day to come see me hooded.  I'm also glad to have had that moment with my advisor, who passed away this past Tuesday.  It's a fond memory.

[martina]

I think the robes are silly. In fact, the whole ceremony is...I'm not going. I did this for me and when it's done, I'll be thrilled! I know my family will be a bit disappointed, but they'll get over it. They know I'm not a ceremony-type of person. (I didn't have more than 40 people at my wedding and I refused to do the whole white dress thing...). I think my advisor will be disappointed too - I think I may be her 1st Ph.D. grad. - and I'll have to find a way to tell her ahead of time that I don't intend to go. I really like her and I appreciate everything she does. I hope she'll understand that I don't need a ceremony to say this.