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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this how graduation ceremonies are now?

76 replies

Toddlerteaplease · Today 15:18

I have recently gained a degree as a part time student, through work. Gradation ceremony next month. I have just been sent a link so my family and friends a record a 30 second video dating how proud they are. It will be played during the ceremony. I personally can’t think of anything worse than having to sit through multiple videos. I’d this a common thing now?

OP posts:
theonlyoneiknow74 · Today 15:57

I've graduated from a couple of post grad courses in the past twenty years and haven't gone to either of the ceremonies. I can't think of anything I'f like to do less!

StarkandDorky · Today 15:58

Pretty grim for anyone without family and friends willing/able to do this.

AImportantMermaid · Today 15:59

It’s probably just something that’ll be played in the background on a loop with subtitles while people are milling around or standing in the foyer. I can’t imagine it’s compulsory, but some people will want to do it and that’s ok too.

Lottapianos · Today 16:00

Oh my lord. That sounds truly horrendous. It seems to be becoming the norm for people to broadcast their feelings and to behave like Oscar winners at every opportunity. Some people have to share every feeling they have on social media for example, even about private medical stuff that involves others

On a related note, a young person I know recently added an acknowledgements section to her dissertation. It included gushy tributes to both her parents, each bit several lines long. Along the lines of 'thank you to my dad, you've always been my hero.... ' 🙄 This kid does have a good relationship with her parents so it's all genuine, but honestly, there's a time and a place....

flowertoday · Today 16:01

That sounds a bit much. I have been only to my first graduation ceremony and missed two more recent ones. Because I am now old, unsociable and skint.
The graduation ceremonies i went to ( mine, siblings, friends ) some time ago focused more on the wearing of gowns, handshakes with people who are important ( but no one really knows who they are ) and then cheap ish fizzy wine. That seems like an ok formula to me , no videos required 🙏☺️

Meadowfinch · Today 16:03

The one I went to, they used the videos of the proud relations, tacked together,as a backing track. It was OK.

CarbootJunction · Today 16:04

New anxiety unlocked.

Corvidsarethebest · Today 16:08

I have never heard of this and I've sat through quite a few in my time.

I try to attend as an academic if I've taught that particular year, this is a whole new level of embarrassment though!

sunnydisaster · Today 16:09

Absolutely not!

sittingonabeach · Today 16:10

DS hasn't mentioned anything like this, but if he had been sent such a link he would have deleted it rather than send it to us!

Additup · Today 16:18

I've not come accross this.

Our oldest graduates this summer and we've bought tickets for the ceremony etc but not been asked to do any of this nonsense.

endash · Today 16:19

God. That sounds arse-clenching. Have grad ceremonies swung in the opposite direction since the post-Covid years? DS was ‘mass graduated’ with his entire year in one go in a football stadium - ‘Stand up, Mathematicians, wave to the crowd, congratulations you’re now a BSc. Next, Economists!’ while their names scrolled at top speed on the screen, like the animators at the end of a Pixar movie.

It was like being at a Moonie wedding.

Letsgetthiswrongagain · Today 16:21

Oh dear - you’re all going to hate me as I introduced this at ceremonies about 4/5 years ago. They are played on a loop with subtitles in the venue while guests/graduates are taking their seats. It also had messages in from the academics as well or groups of students congratulating the class.

Are you at a North London institution by any chance?

ChapmanFarm · Today 16:21

Toddlerteaplease · Today 15:29

When I got my Diploma in 2004 it was very formal! Organ music etc and went on for ages. I presumed this would be similar!

I'd suspect it isn't for the ceremony itself but perhaps as a bit of filler while guests are brought in, seated, waiting for the academic procession to start.

It's presumably optional. They'll not be able to accommodate hundreds of them and know many won't bother.

MesonBoson · Today 16:21

You could get your loved ones to record a video saying that you are a waste of space and an utter shit - and see whether that gets played.

Or maybe they could do one with puppets.

Or nude.

Letsgetthiswrongagain · Today 16:23

MesonBoson · Today 16:21

You could get your loved ones to record a video saying that you are a waste of space and an utter shit - and see whether that gets played.

Or maybe they could do one with puppets.

Or nude.

Oh believe me there are some random ones sent in like the topless man who got the students cat on screen. We had to cut that so just his head was showing! Or the ones where a family member played guitar and sang.

Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride · Today 16:24

I wonder from which part of America this originated?

Beachtastic · Today 16:24

Toddlerteaplease · Today 15:18

I have recently gained a degree as a part time student, through work. Gradation ceremony next month. I have just been sent a link so my family and friends a record a 30 second video dating how proud they are. It will be played during the ceremony. I personally can’t think of anything worse than having to sit through multiple videos. I’d this a common thing now?

Oh jeeeeezzz that's nuts. And nauseating. Presumably the academic institution wants to use clips as promotional material. And some suckers will comply.

LeedsLoiner · Today 16:25

I think they'll play it in the background whilst you're all going up for your degrees - I presume the video is synced to when they call your name out.

MajorProcrastination · Today 16:31

LlynTegid · Today 15:40

What about those overseas students where there is no opportunity to record anything?

this is a digital link for people to record a personal video via a tablet or smart phone, it doesn't require anyone being in the same country or room.

Sartre · Today 16:33

No. I’m an academic and part of the procession every year for both BA and PGR students. We do not do this. Utter madness, it takes long enough as it is!

BeeandG · Today 16:38

I work in he and volunteer at graduation to help run the events. We don't have this, thankfully.

Octavia64 · Today 16:38

No

MajorProcrastination · Today 16:42

Am I the only one who thinks this is a lovely thing to do? Especially for adult students who've made learning fit in with probably a job/jobs and possibly caring responsibilities. If you don't want to engage in it, just email a response saying no thank you but this whole idea will have come from a comms team who are trying to find a way to help students feel celebrated and supported, a way to show the ripples of learning on families, partners, colleagues.

As others have said, there's every chance this is for a rolling film in a foyer or on screens as people get into their seats or mingle. You are welcome to ask the university or college about how they plan to use the video so you have a better idea about what to expect.

My first graduation was a very formal affair, my second was a little different as it was from a conservatoire.

If you don't like it, tell the people who've contacted you. Opt out if you want.

I've not been to a graduation lately but I have been to award ceremonies and where there are short videos of people with comments, praise, congratulations etc it all gives more context, some more human understanding about the individuals involved. It might not be a big deal to you, but it could be a big deal to someone else.

AgeingDoc · Today 16:45

I've not come across this, though the graduations I have been to in recent years have been a lot more glitzy than my own was. Mine was a long, very boring affair as were my DC's but the muted polite applause seems to have been replaced by whooping and cheering and the organ music with a light show fit for a rock concert. I'm not sure which was worse to be honest, but I would absolutely draw the line at gushing parent videos. There is no way I would do that and I am 100% sure that none of my DC would want me to. DC2 practically sprinted across the stage to get it over and done with as it was.

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