- Of course, I'll participate! I worked hard!
- I really want to walk so my kids will know that education is important.
- I feel so distanced from school now that I've been away and moved on to grad school...maybe I shouldn't walk.
- Honestly, would anybody really miss me if I didn't walk?
- If I did walk, would my family just feel obligated to come. I don't want anyone to feel obligated to come.
- The graduation ceremony is going to be like three hours long. In the sun. On a football field. And I only know a handful of people there. Hmmmm....
- If it rains, the ceremony will be moved indoors and I will only have four tickets. That only leaves one extra ticket for anyone other than my husband and children!
- I'm going to graduate from grad school next spring. Wouldn't I rather walk in that ceremony?
- Grad school graduation will be farther away and we would have to stay in a hotel. Maybe I should walk now and skip grad school ceremonies? Plus, I won't know as many people there...
- THREE HOURS in the sun and wind??? I dunno....
- But my youngest daughter doesn't understand college or that I've completed something. This might help her understand.
- Maybe I do want a day of praise and glory.
- I don't want a day of praise and glory...that's silly.
- I already paid for all of the graduation gear in my student fees...might as well get my money's worth.
- Will I regret it if I don't walk? After all, I looked forward to it for years.
- My dad told me the story of a man who drove hundreds of miles to attend graduation ceremony at this school. He thought it was important...maybe I should, too.
- I already have plans for that weekend. It's Mother's Day weekend and we really need to visit my husband's mom. I shouldn't change those plans.
- I don't know what to do.
This is another one of those situations where I wish someone would just step in and make my decisions for me. Right now, I have a signed "Graduate in Absentee" form sitting signed on my desk, but I have been unable to mail it (though I filled it out a week ago). University friends say, "yes--come back!" but they probably won't miss me (who knows if we'll even see one another). My family says, "it's your decision." My husband and friends like to give conflicting reports: one minute they encourage me to do it and the next they tell me they might not have walked if they had to do it all over again. It's honestly not as important to me as it once was, but I do wonder if participating might help my kids understand the importance, the sacrifice, and the honor of university studies.
Maybe I'll just flip a coin.
2 comments:
I would go, your children & husband would be very proud and as you say it would help your daughter understand what you have been doing. For yourself, it's obviously been a long held ambition to graduate so the ceremony would draw a nice line. Mind you the 3 hours in the heat does sound a challenge! Ours is in November, in a Cathedral, we only get to bring two guests - my Mother and eldest daughter will have to fight for one! I want all my daughters there but I don't think it will be possible, unless I can snaffle a couple more tickets, some do get traded from people already off travelling. The main downside for me is that all my fellow 'mature students' I started with graduated in '07 and I really don't know anyone who is graduating this year, so there will be no oppertunity to catch up with anyone. That will feel a bit weird. (a bit 'Billy no mates' as my kids will say). By the way what does 'walk' mean in terms of the graduation day - do you have to parade? We just get called out to shake the hand of the Vice Chancellor.
"To walk" is just a term everyone uses to describe walking on stage to receive a diploma.
Only two guests?? Wow, and here I was complaining about being limited to four!
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