For some odd reason, I have always had a thing for graduations. Some people love weddings or baby showers, but for me, it has always been graduation ceremonies. When I say to people that I love graduations, I often have people asking me “why.” I try to put into words the way I feel about the ceremony, but I often end up saying, “It’s just I thing I have.” While many people stare at me as though I have eight heads when I talk about my love for graduation ceremonies, I truly feel that it is a special and inspirational moment for all.
Many people see graduations as a pointless ceremony that is long, boring, and cheesy. You are forced to wear a gown, listen to a speech made by the president of the school who you may have never actually met, and be handed a diploma cover that doesn’t even have your actual diploma in it. So my question is why do some people feel so nostalgic about graduations? What makes them so special that it is essential that families and friends be in attendance?
For me, I find graduation ceremonies to be moving, unique, and emotional. There is something in the atmosphere about celebrating an academic milestone and moving onto bigger and better things. It is a ceremony where you are given an opportunity to reflect on your time at an institution and feel empowered to take the next steps into adulthood. It is that moment when you throw your cap in the air with hundreds of others and celebrate in unison from the fact that you just accomplished an extraordinary achievement.
So yes, you might be wearing a cap that makes your head look funny, or you might have to sit and listen to hundreds of unfamiliar names being called out, but it is not a moment that should taken for granted. The cap you will be wearing has a purpose of holding the tassel that you will wear on the right and then shift to the left once receiving your diploma. The long list of names you will hear are your fellow graduates who have worked hard to receive their recognition in front of their loved ones. It is important to embrace this moment that we have all worked for years towards and celebrate that extraordinary achievement.
As for me, I can never leave a graduation without shedding a few tears. That being said, this upcoming winter graduation should be an interesting one. I have been selected to speak at the afternoon ceremony in front of hundreds of people and become a part of that special memory that I know I will always cherish. I am proud to be speaking at a ceremony that I have always had a connection to.
Try to remember how truly special a graduation ceremony is once you hit that milestone. I am going to steal a quote from the speech I will be presenting at graduation to say, “remember that the tassel you are wearing is certainly worth the hassle.”
To end, I want to say congratulations to the winter class of 2014. Enjoy your graduation and be sure to reflect on your time here at West Chester University.
Maddie Ball is a fourth-year student majoring in communication studies. She can be reached at MB759377@wcupa.edu.