as i'm talking, my words slip to the floor....

so yesterday was graduation, and i attended about twenty minutes of the ceremony. to my knowledge, i only knew one person walking across the stage: friend #2. (i wouldn't be surprised if one of the monsters from any of the classes i taught walked yesterday as well, though i also wouldn't be surprised if none of them ever graduated.) two thoughts arose from these twenty minutes. first, is this important? is college a big deal? if some of the kids i taught were indeed able to wipe the drool off their chins and walk across this stage, is a diploma really worth anything? now, i know friend #2 deserves her degree...she (apparently) sets the bar for everyone in her classes. but these other people?

here's some sociology for yall. in my intro class, i talk about "credential inflation"--basically the idea that the more college degrees are handed out, the less they really mean. so, in order to stand out from college graduates, more people head off to get masters degrees. as more people get masters degrees, those who want to stand out have to get phds. in the process, the lower degrees lose value. so, for better or worse, the college degree is quickly becoming the high school diploma of fifty or so years ago. and colleges know this. is my university difficult? if pushed, i would probably say no. but i'll have a diploma (or three) from it, and hopefully that will get me in the door of a good company.

my second thought was, what's the point of graduation? this event with twenty-somethings wearing dark robes and particularly unstylish hats walking across a stage and accepting a certificate no doubt holds a great deal of symbolism and bears deep historical roots. but is it necessary? how many of these graduates would be terribly upset if they were instead able to sleep in, walk to their mailbox later in the week, and find their green diploma tube waiting for them there? would their families be any less proud or celebratory?

i too am guilty of sitting through a graduation (or three) of my own, and i have no idea why. i get no sense of accomplishment or completion out of it. am i supposed to feel different? smarter? grown up? prideful? i tend to feel the same way about most ceremonies though (weddings, awards, etc.). i attend them and am happy for the people involved, hoping that they experience the feelings i just mentioned and more. but for me, forget the pomp and circumstance and take me out for a mudslide (or three).