The Graduation Experience
It has been three years since I graduated from High School, all the way back in 2004, but wow when you go back to High School to see another graduation its like you never left. Outside of seeing a lot of people who are there supporting younger siblings (like myself), just the feeling of walking on that campus again is really kind of a trip. However outside of that here are a few observations I have on graduations as I have went to a high school and college graduation this year.
1) The speeches want to be original, but the originality is usually what ends up killing them. The best bet from what I can tell is to keep the short and sweet (don't say its going to be short, just do it) and keep everything as light hearted as possible.
2) Rules at graduations never seem to hold, in fact its almost universal. Examples of this, no saving seats, we all know EVERYONE saves seats. Secondly don't use any balloons or blow horns, I saw a high number of both. To me I think the schools more just say these things to be political correct, rather then for actual application.
3) Both graduations I have gone to have started out with such build up, the excitement of graduating and having your name called, and then as a viewer after all the names are called the closure of such a big event is non-existent. For example say I was the last name the be called here is how it ends "Joel Szerlip...Congratulations Class of 2007... the crowd runs like stampede, the ending ceremony that was probably planned for weeks is now non-existent.
4) Bringing little kids to a graduation is not normally a good idea. I understand the desire to have the whole family out there supporting the graduate however do the other families a favor don't bring little children, especially those who have no idea what "no" and "stop" mean. Yesterdays graduation was a perfect example of this. Two little boys, looked like twins, probably five years old were just going at each others throats. They were hitting, yelling, crying, jumping all over the bleachers, they were uncontrollable. The parents of course tried a few times, but there efforts were half hearted and ineffective. So as a rule of courtesy please don't bring small children to graduations.
1) The speeches want to be original, but the originality is usually what ends up killing them. The best bet from what I can tell is to keep the short and sweet (don't say its going to be short, just do it) and keep everything as light hearted as possible.
2) Rules at graduations never seem to hold, in fact its almost universal. Examples of this, no saving seats, we all know EVERYONE saves seats. Secondly don't use any balloons or blow horns, I saw a high number of both. To me I think the schools more just say these things to be political correct, rather then for actual application.
3) Both graduations I have gone to have started out with such build up, the excitement of graduating and having your name called, and then as a viewer after all the names are called the closure of such a big event is non-existent. For example say I was the last name the be called here is how it ends "Joel Szerlip...Congratulations Class of 2007... the crowd runs like stampede, the ending ceremony that was probably planned for weeks is now non-existent.
4) Bringing little kids to a graduation is not normally a good idea. I understand the desire to have the whole family out there supporting the graduate however do the other families a favor don't bring little children, especially those who have no idea what "no" and "stop" mean. Yesterdays graduation was a perfect example of this. Two little boys, looked like twins, probably five years old were just going at each others throats. They were hitting, yelling, crying, jumping all over the bleachers, they were uncontrollable. The parents of course tried a few times, but there efforts were half hearted and ineffective. So as a rule of courtesy please don't bring small children to graduations.
