Has anyone attended a graduation ceremony lately?

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Tenebrae

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Is it my imagination, or are graduations becoming more like pep rallies? We recently attended my daughter’s college graduation, and the noise level was ridiculous–all those people hooting and hollering and carrying on, with no consideration for anyone else who might want to hear their graduate’s name announced. At my son’s graduation last year, someone actually brought an air horn.
 
Tenebrae said:
Is it my imagination, or are graduations becoming more like pep rallies? We recently attended my daughter’s college graduation, and the noise level was ridiculous–all those people hooting and hollering and carrying on, with no consideration for anyone else who might want to hear their graduate’s name announced. At my son’s graduation last year, someone actually brought an air horn.
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I have graduated from college twice and haven’t bothered attending a graduation yet. They mailed my diploma and I didn’t have to buy a graduation gown.
 
I work at a high school and yes, you are correct. Even though the audience is asked to hold their applause, they never do. And it always makes you feel bad for those without the support or those who are not popular.
 
Tenebrae said:
Is it my imagination, or are graduations becoming more like pep rallies? We recently attended my daughter’s college graduation, and the noise level was ridiculous–all those people hooting and hollering and carrying on, with no consideration for anyone else who might want to hear their graduate’s name announced. At my son’s graduation last year, someone actually brought an air horn.
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At my sons’ Jesuit high school, the principal announced that if there was too much noise he would stop the ceremony right then and everyone would go home. He didn’t follow through, there was still one major breach with an air horn, but for the most part, people were fairly quiet overall.

And I watched a ceremony of college grads yesterday, which wasn’t too bad, perhaps even more in control than at the high school. So it’s not universal.

But I have heard nightmares about public school graduations where air horns go off and there is constant screaming.

:mad:
 
Almost every graduation ceremony I’ve attended for the past 20 years has been like that. I didn’t realize they were ever different. 😛
 
Joe_5859 said:
Almost every graduation ceremony I’ve attended for the past 20 years has been like that. I didn’t realize they were ever different. 😛
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They used to be pretty quiet affairs. Processional. Invocation. A few speeches, valedictorian, honors recognition, handing out of diplomas to graduates. Applause. Recessional. Everybody goes home.
 
I never understood the concept of holding your applause particularly for college parents who spent in many cases over 100G for college should be able to light off fireworks when their kid is called up. Especially if they have a job lined up ������
 
JimG said:
They used to be pretty quiet affairs. Processional. Invocation. A few speeches, valedictorian, honors recognition, handing out of diplomas to graduates. Applause. Recessional. Everybody goes home.
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Haven’t attended one in 15 years, but it was similar to this description.
 
Booter said:
I never understood the concept of holding your applause particularly for college parents who spent in many cases over 100G for college should be able to light off fireworks when their kid is called up. Especially if they have a job lined up ��
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Maybe because the parents sitting across the auditorium that also spent 100G would like to also hear their chid’s name called?
 
Touche’ but the person reading the names and use discretion its not like people do a ten minute standing ovation
 
Booter said:
I never understood the concept of holding your applause particularly for college parents who spent in many cases over 100G for college should be able to light off fireworks when their kid is called up. Especially if they have a job lined up
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There is a time for applause and noisemaking and that happens after everyone has received his/her diploma and the hats are flung into the air. THEN and only then should everyone be applauding and hooting, etc. That way, no one gets obliterated by the noise from family of the guy in front of him.

And anyone who is spending 100K on a 4 year degree these days had better be in one of the hard sciences! Or there’s nothing to celebrate.
 
Well, at least the lender who holds the student loans will be celebrating the prospect of decades of interest income at above market rates!
 
I recently attended a college graduation w/ 5,000+ people in attendance, and it was very respectful. They did ask us to hold applause until the end of certain groups were recognized, etc. I was pleasantly surprised it went so well…wasn’t a huge fan of the speaker (he tried too hard to be “hip”), but that’s besides the point.
 
This is nothing new at all. When I graduated from high school more than 20 years ago (gulp!), I remember how loud and obnoxious the spectators were. My dad complained about it every time one of us had a graduation, and my brothers and sisters graduated from high school in the late 70s and early 80s.
 
A few years ago when my daughter graduated high school, the venue was on the Detroit River. All the seats faced the stage and the river was behind the stage. This was an outdoor location.

When the people were on the stage receiving their diplomas, their backs were to the water.

While sitting and watching the graduates file on the stage, there was a huge white yacht that slowly ventured close by. A couple of guys on the boat decided this was a good time to ‘moon’ the audience. I think beer was involved… It was really crazy. And funny. And totally ridiculous. But that is one graduation I won’t forget.
 
I always thought modern day graduation ceremonies were an odd mix of traditional pomp and circumstance and an episode of Jerry Springer.

I mean, you have dignified academics vested in traditional garb and following protocols of etiquette with a long and treasured history. And that gets juxtaposed with little Timmy’s off-color Uncle Eddie who is so proud of his nephew that he just cannot contain his hoots and hollers.

It’s sort of a microcosm of American culture if you think about it.
 
why is this a problem? its probably one of the last times they’ll have to celebrate together. let them whoop it up, its their day.
 
Fairwinds said:
why is this a problem? its probably one of the last times they’ll have to celebrate together. let them whoop it up, its their day.
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Well, sure, but when the whooping causes some graduate’s names not to be heard and/or unduly prolongs the ceremony, it’s not really conducive to letting others have their day.

Just sayin’.
 
Joe_5859 said:
Well, sure, but when the whooping causes some graduate’s names not to be heard and/or unduly prolongs the ceremony, it’s not really conducive to letting others have their day.

Just sayin’.
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its how kids/ young adults act. I say accommodate them, slow down the pace if necessary. its probably the last time they’ll be the center of attention for years. at my own law school graduation, the ceremonies paused briefly while some grads were dragged off and thrown in a fountain.
 
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