Graduation: What's the Point?

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I attended my high school graduation today, and it's official: I have no freakin' clue why everyone's so happy. I mean, it was fun to be around a bunch of happy people but...uh, why are we celebrating again? Aren't we supposed to graduate? It's sort of a requirement nowadays. And don't these people just have better things to do than throw such elaborate celebrations?

I know NTs really like graduations, but why?

I dont really get it either, its like the actual reason doesnt matter its more that any reason at all to have a party will do.
You dont need a good reason to feel good and have fun with others. Thats what people are doing, Just taking any chance they can find to have a day off work and have fun with others.

I wouldnt disregard many just going along with the flow, of a few select ones who set the mood. When crowds turn into that herd mode, i understand that for them it must be really great to cheer and shout with and at each other but for me i just get really annoyed with the amount of noise they have to make to feel good. The happiest moments for me are when i did not say a word and where others did not say anything either in an environment with almost no noise, when you are sharing an experience without communication. Where for others it seems like increased activity boosts their sense of feeling good lack of sound makes me feel best. When you dont feel the need to say anything to others and you got that connection without words just a smile or eye contact says it all.

Last edited by TB on 03 Jun 2011, 3:15 am, edited 3 times in total.

/just nod and smile.

Never got 'high school' graduations; they don't do them over here, and I never heard of them until I was researching what was involved in uni ones. As you say, it's mandatory so big deal...

It's kind of like the 'everyone's special' and 'rewards for participation' movement...

Highschool graduations are important lifecycle events. Many people won't ever attend college, much less graduate from college, and for many students and parents even graduating highschool wasn't necessarily a given.

The ceremony is important for parents because it marks not only the accomplishment of their child but also, provided the child is 18, the child's legal emancipation. The parents are no longer responsible for the child's actions, and they don't have to worry about whether the kid attends school anymore. Furthermore, they aren't even legally required to support them anymore, which for many parents feels like getting released from indentured servitude.

Adult life is marked by very few other important lifecycle events--marriage may or may not happen, the birth of a child or grandchild may not happen either. High school graduation also signals the child's entry into adulthood, and along with it the freedoms and responsibilities of adulthood.

Fair point. I'm not saying finishing High School should not be celebrated at all; it is over here too, but there's none of the formality that there seems to be in America. The students themselves arrange celebrations.



That's another thing that's different in my country; we get a sort of staggered emancipation (can smoke at 16, vote at 18 etc..) - actually, isn't America the same? You can't drink till you're 21 (big life event in some places ). Most kids still live off/with their parents till their early-twenties here, but yeah, I guess it's not mandatory.



That's kind of depressing! Are there no other events that are usually celebrated? Promotions come to mind, or even getting a job in the first place.

I was very happy in my graduation. FINALLY I get to be far,far away from you bunch of $#@#.


Was a spiritual moment.

This thought kept me from attending my own graduation ceremony.

*dies laughing*

Thanks, I REALLY needed that.

I don't get it either. I'll be happy when I accomplish something of actual importance, like graduating from uni. But graduating from high school? Seriously?

Yea....WOHOO, we passed the national average.

We are happy to get out of school, and move onto college?

I know how you feel, I graduated about a week ago, and I was like, yea, I passed.

Feel like I should get a t-shirt saying I survived high school.

It's more for the family....but the after party is fun.

At yer service *bow* ^^

I remember having the gown and the dumb hat just waiting for it to all finally be over. I think I really wanted to just walk out but I sat through it.