Mind Boggling - Not going to graduation?

[NurseLoveJoy88]

Can someone please help me to understand why a nursing student would not want to attend his/her pinning ceremony.

I just don't understand. My friend and I are about to complete our nursing program in about 6 weeks. She keeps telling me that she may not attend our pinning. I did not jump down her throat or anything I was just curious as to why she felt this way. Apparently she has not gotten along with one of the instructors and does not want to go. But why would she let an instructor cause her from not going ? She has been through so much to get to this point now. She failed the first semester in nursing school and had to wait a year to get back in... after all that she still doesn't want to attend. She knows how beautiful they are, her mom is a nurse and she's been to her moms. IDK apparently some people aren't exicited about pinnings anymore.

Me, I'm totally different. Every time the thought of me walking across that stage to get pinned gets me teary eyed. I've dreamed of the day of my pinning for so long now and I can't wait to experience the day. I can't wait to wear my all white with my cap and site my natingale pledge. (sigh)

For those of you that did not or will not attend your pinning ceremony, I just have one question: Why ?

Thanks in advance for clearing this up for me.

[amarilla, RN]

We were told our pinning ceremony, (separate from 'graduation' for the degree), is mandatory for all students. Ah, the joys of nursing school...

I'm one of those folks who would gladly skip pinning. Honestly, I look at nursing school as job training and less of a social or emotionally vested experience. After being ordered about for two years in school and waiting out all the nonsense, I have no desire to wax nostalgic with staff on pinning day.

If it were truly meant to be a special day for all of us, we would be allowed to celebrate it as we wish, including those who wish for a private day with friends or family instead. Given the choice, particularly with no family in the area, I'd have a quiet dinner with DH and relax.

Best,

Southern

[AmericanRN]

I don't want to attend my graduation/pinning ceremony either. I do not want to grin & shake hands and pretend like I'm so thrilled about everything. The graduation is in the middle of the week, it's several hours long, two weeks before a major holiday in a horribly congested part of town, and all my family reside in other states. Why put them or myself through yet more drama? I work 40 + hours a week in addition to going to nursing school fulltime. As a whole they have not been understanding of my financial need to work and every semester I am again asked why don't I quit my job because it does not fit their model of a student who goes to this school. My grades are fine, I"ve never been on academic probation, have never been late to a clinical or a lecture and they still are not supportive overe the fact that I have to work.It looks bad according to them that some of us are working such long hours (aka it makes their school look too expensive & scares prospective students away)

Seriously now why would I want to put myself through this nonsense any longer then I have too? I can have my own celebration with my true friends and family and celebrate all of us. I've met some nice people in nursing school but the reality is they are acquaintences not friends and I have no desire to pretend "mad love for everyone" for the sake of a photo op.

[JBudd, MSN]

I recently graduated with my masters. The convocation and hooding was held with the undergrad's pinnings. It was wonderful. My whole family came from out of state, first time in 20 years we were all together at the same time, since my dad died. We celebrated, they cheered and shouted for me, the faculty all lined the hall as we exited and cheered for us.

I did my classes totally on line, my field work at a local community hospital; so I didn't know my classmated from Adam really, but so what? I knew several profs from meetings, and online mailings. But I like ceremony, and the sense of completeness that the ceremony gives. A this is it feeling.

The next day for commencement, my daughter received her Bachelors at the same time. We cheered and whooped for each other. My late dh's family gave us a whingding of a barbecue. This day was for us, no one else. A milestone. And one of the best days of the year.

[blondnursey]

several of the nurses in my class didnt have the money for the pin and therefore didnt go.

[curlylights06]

several of the nurses in my class didnt have the money for the pin and therefore didnt go.

How much is the pinning ????

[Agrippa]

Umm. Who cares? Some people go to nursing school because it's their "calling" and they put so much meaning and purpose into their career. Some people don't think its that important - they gin meaning and purpose from other things, maybe the self satisfaction of just being a nurse or a care taker, or just a human being who happens to be a nurse. I for one don't plan on identifying myself solely by my career and thus really wouldn't care one way or another whether I go to my pinning or not.

[blondnursey]

our pins were about a hundred, plus you had to buy the lamp etc.

if you are on a tight budget or a single mom, hundred bucks is hundred bucks

[tbell2]

I plan on going to pinning but not graduation. For my particular group, graduation will be almost a year after we are done. They do graduation once a year in May. My group will be done in July 2010.

[prinsessa]

I went to graduation but didn't get pinned. I didn't want to pay for a pin (over $40 for the cheapest one) and plus didn't really care about it. Graduation was more for my family than me. I wanted my kids to see what all the hard work paid off for. I am one of those people who don't really care too much about traditions. We went to city hall to get married and I don't regret it at all. If I was to have a wedding at all it would have been something very cheap and casual.

[jackson145]

I didn't go to either one. I hauled myself to class & clinicals for 2 years & I wasn't making another trip to the school for anything. Plus I hate ceremonies.

I put in the hard work, so I felt like I earned the right not to participate. Also, I'd already started work as a graduate nurse & I just wanted to go home at the end of the day, not slap on a cap & gown.

I have no tender feelings for the school or the experience. To me NS was a means to an end. Now I can be paid well to do something I've always wanted to do.

I won't even wear a T-shirt with the school's logo. I'm not going to be an advertising medium for them without some form of compensation. Like a discount on tuition!

[shann106]

I will not go to my graduation, but I will go to my pinning ceremony. I see this degree (ADN) as such a minor stepping stone for my goal that it seems pointless to go through the whole graduation ceremony. When I get my doctorate and become a FNP then I will celebrate graduating.

My family sees an ADN as no big deal and they definatley would not see it as a big enough deal to celebrate with a party etc

I know most of my classmates will not march at graduation, because they feel the same way, that it is no big deal in the big picture of future goals

[XYcsccSN]

I'll be graduating in a few short months...and I do not plan on going to pinning or graduation. I have many reasons why but mainly, it's my way of protesting the years of being treated like a child and made to jump through hoops while in nursing school. I have had countless hours of my time wasted by the program from them changing regularity scheduled "seminars" to a different time and making attendance mandatory forcing me to make arrangements to miss work and fighting rush hour traffic to get there at the new time or setting up classes so you have a four or five hour break between classes. In my eyes, this is one "time waster" with a series of hoops (dress code, rehearsal, etc) that is optional so I will do something fun instead with my family instead.