skydivegirl 0 #1 February 18, 2003 I have to return a letter to my university soon saying whether I intend to participate in graduation in May. I walked already when I was in undergrad & got my bachelors degree. This time it's for my masters degree.... should I walk again? On one hand... it'll make my family happy... but then again it will pretty much take up an entire weekend... and it's Memorial Day weekend.Pink Mafia Sis #26 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 7 #2 February 18, 2003 These moments only happen once. There's more to life than skydiving. Walk in the ceremony and have your family with you. I'm sure they've been supportive of you over the years so it is important to them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #3 February 18, 2003 Hey, if you walk, you can send out invitations, people won't come, BUT they'll send you a gift. That gift is usually a card with $$$$. So go walk just for that purpose, a friend of mine made nearly $2000 just from gifts from all the people he sent invitations to! That's worth more then jumping one extra day, you could buy some cool skydiving shit with that.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #4 February 18, 2003 Ceremonies like this don't come around everyday, and you worked hard for your accomplishment! It will be a great time for you to get together, and the best part will be that they are celebrating YOU! Bask in the glory of it! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #5 February 18, 2003 "On one hand... it'll make my family happy... " And there you have it. I'm pretty sure your family would be delighted to see you graduate, so you probably owe them that much. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
julesUK 0 #6 February 18, 2003 I never went to mine and missed the only one I'll ever get. Even over here in the UK where the weather SUCKS at the moment there will be other days to jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jessd 0 #7 February 18, 2003 I would walk. I walked for my Master's. I did not want to but I did it to make my mom and dad happy. After it was all over I was happy that I had. "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Push 0 #8 February 18, 2003 You can get another weekend by waiting five days. But think what you have to do to get another graduation -- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DTOXX 0 #9 February 18, 2003 Take the walk. If its sucks then you will have a story about it for the rest of your life. Or, for the rest of your life you may wonder if you should have done it.Everyone is in agreement that this is most likely a once in a lifetime event. Please do it. ------- D.T. Holder SIMstudy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #10 February 18, 2003 I did. It was way cooler with that turquoise cape thingie that comes with the graduate degree. Walk the walk. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #11 February 18, 2003 Go and do it for your family. You'd be surprised how much it means to everyone else. editted to add: Congratulations! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jwilson 0 #12 February 18, 2003 Take the walk , enjoy yourself. Take a look at the people around you that Know and love you and how proud they are of you . It's a great feeling. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! AND PARTY YOUR ASS OFF!!! WHOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slim 0 #13 February 18, 2003 CONGRATULATIONS walk, you might get $ for some new gear. But you can't skip the next Boogie!!!! <<<>>> A good friend will bail you outta jail... A true friend will be sitting next to you saying "That was fucking awesome!!!' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Genn 0 #14 February 18, 2003 Walk...don't miss out...skydiving will still be there when you get back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #15 February 18, 2003 I agree with everyone else. This opportunity only comes around once. Enjoy it and then come tell us all about it. OH, and get video or Lew will say it didn't happen! -- Hot Mama At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeatherB 0 #16 February 18, 2003 Reading this thread gave me flashbacks to my undergrad graduation weekend. I missed my baccalaureate mass because I was at the DZ trying to get one last jump in so I could be signed off student status! (I was moving from PA to FL and it was my last chance to jump up there!) My poor parents. I'm sure they knew I wasn't at the mass. My hair was all windblown, shorts and t-shirt under my graduation gown..."I was there the whole time! In the back row!" I'm such a bad daughter. (If they ever see this online they'll know what happened! I think they had their suspicions anyhow!) So, do the whole ceremony thing, just don't go to the DZ that morning or you'll never make it blue skies, Heather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #17 February 18, 2003 Do both. Parachute into your graduation ceremony.Swoop the podium! Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivegirl 0 #18 February 19, 2003 Alright!!! I'm sending the letter off today and I'm walking. Thanks for all of your responses... it definitely put things in perspective. Although, I started a poll on my dz's forum and the vote went the other way. But I AM walking... thanks Pink Mafia Sis #26 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slim 0 #19 February 19, 2003 but they are not us!!!! <<<>>> A good friend will bail you outta jail... A true friend will be sitting next to you saying "That was fucking awesome!!!' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #20 February 19, 2003 Remember some pics please. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #21 February 19, 2003 well youve already decided, but i'm with the "other way" crowd. Its just a silly public ceremony, with only the meaning you give it..personally i went out and did something i actually cared about..(started wandering in the Blue Ridge Parkway 3 days before) rather than participate in what was for me the last thing I was 'supposed" to do for the school..."piss off" i say..i went to school for the education, not the social scene or even the piece of lambskin that says i graduated.. i'll rank my memories of the TN mountains against anyones graduation ceremony experiences any day... also have to caveate this with the fact that I KNEW people who were walking and graduating who learned absolutely nothing in 4 years of college and yet their peice of paper is just as good as mine...sad sad sad..____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #22 February 19, 2003 You know I didn't go to either ceremony, for my undergrad or graduate degrees. I figured it was just more money out of my own pocket that could be spent better someplace else. Now I feel like I missed out on something meaningful. If I had it to do over again, I'd go. I remember when B.J. Worth graduated from our University. He jumped into the ceremony wearing his cap and gown. Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #23 February 19, 2003 Since I was a commuter student and didn't live on campus, I didn't get into a lot of the campus life activities and didn't feel that connected to the school. I was working full time and went to school at night. I was not even planning on going through with the ceremony, but it meant a lot to my mom, so I did. My mom and dad took a bunch of pics and loved it. It may be a small thing for you to do and it means a great deal to others. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivegirl 0 #24 February 19, 2003 I'm in the same situation. I work full time & go to school at night also. And this isn't the same school where I did my undergrad... so I don't feel particularly connected either. I originally had other plans for that weekend and when I mentioned to my family that I wasn't going to walk.. they were less than happy about it. Soooo... that's where the dilemma started.Pink Mafia Sis #26 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #25 February 19, 2003 So it really is small thing for you and a big thing for them. Be the "good daughter" and sacrifice a day for the folks. My mom always wanted to go to college and never could. She was living her dreams through me, so it was a big day for her. Education, future, hope... all rolled into one event. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
