Now I never knew that graduation was such a big deal until we moved to Hawaii. Graduation for me was just something you did that I thought was expected. I was totally surprised at the party Morgan High School threw for the grads. It was an all night party and was very fun with tons of prizes. But the next day I just moved on to the next step-working and going to college. I wasn't even going to walk for my bachelors degree cause I just didn't want to have to go to a long boring meeting to just walk across a stage and get a fake diploma cause the real one comes in the mail later anyway. But it just so happened that I graduated the same semester as my brother and all my family was going to come and so I ended up going.
But now I have seen graduation-Hawaiian Style. Adam tried to warn me about it. The first time I saw stands and stands of people selling lei's and other congratulatory things, Adam said, "Do you see what I mean now?" I thought I did and then I saw the thousands of people and the 50 or so lei's that graduates had been given to wear around their necks and I then thought I understood. I knew about the party after graduation cause I went to my own. But once I heard about the personal party after that party for each individual that is thrown for the graduates here, I think I finally figured it out. Parents here don't just save for their kids to go to college, they save for years so they can afford to have a party for their kid if they graduate high school. And then they have an even better party if they graduate college. Realizing that Hawaii hasn't been a state that long and the drop out rate is high, a lot of people over here are first to graduate in their family. It is a big deal.
Now you may think "wow" a little overboard there, but the more I see it the more I am agreeing with the way they treat graduation as such a big deal. Think about it. You just spent how many years of life studying, test taking and jumping thru hoops to get to this point. Why not party about it... take some time and relish in your accomplishment. Celebrate what you have done! I have to admit Hawaiians do know how to party-and the food is always enough to last for a week. It is a big deal, and I agree-it should be.
Looking back, I am glad that I was forced to walk at my graduation. Even if the ceremony wasn't that fun. I am glad I have the pictures of me in my cap and gown. It was a very big stepping stone of my life. I wish I would've taken a graduation trip or something. Oh well.
Anyway, I am wondering if anyone else thinks it would be foolish of Adam not to walk for his graduation? I was totally looking forward to giving him a lei...who knows, it could have even been a money lei.
6 comments:
Make the guy walk! If he doesnt want to pay $23, tell him to find out the colors and borow it from someone... everyone here in laie has a black, white or red one (depending on what year they graduated from kahuku)!
My father made every single one of my siblings walk... He always said, Your Graduation day is not for you, It's for everybody else that had to deal with you on your journey (ie. any crying, complaining, happy moments) leading up to graduation!
Plus I think Addy would love to give her daddy a lei.. and experience it!
You can send Ryan a $ lei. He graduates May 17th from LAW SCHOOL! If college graduation is even bigger than high school graduation, then just think what a graduate school graduation should be like:)
And yes, of course Adam should walk.
We have eric's cap and gown from the LDSBC that's black. If Adam wants he can even wear the tassle that came with it!
I found a black gown in the Freebi bin so Adam can use it and not use "saving money" as an excuse.
He needs to walk!!! Will didn't want to at first either, but now that he has he is really glad; and we had to fly all the way to UT for him to walk! Also, my mom says she will come and kick him down the isle if she has to!
Steve didn't go to his high school of college graduations and I didn't go to my college one... but I might have if I have gotten a lei. I think if it is just the $23 that is holding him up, then he should go.
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