I have a previous degree, so going to some special occasion AND graduation is not something I'm interested in. I just want to go to graduation to get up on stage, grab my fake diploma, and walk away! lol
Apparently I'm the only one (that I know of at the moment) who's not going to the pinning ceremony. The teacher was all disappointed and thought I wasn't going because I'm going on vacation or something instead. I said, "No, I just don't care." She was saying how special it is and how I should go because I worked so hard. Yes, I HAVE worked so hard. And that is why I'm going to graduation and not wasting my time to walk around holding a lantern, get pinned, and watch everybody's silly pictures and paragraphs about themselves on some slide show. The whole thing seems way too cheesy for me. HAHHA. I told my non-classmate friends about it, and they totally agree with me.
I don't consider a cheesy pinning event to be a celebration. Graduation I do!!
But graduation is with ALL students attending the college, not just nursing students. The pinning ceremony is much more personal and only with students you know. I guess I see why some of you feel you don't want to go because I thought of not going to graduation at one time too. I guess it means more to some then it does to others.
I like the feeling of closure and the start of the next adventure in my life.
I really liked pinning that pin on a friend and former student who is now a colleague.
Several years ago I finished my masters. Took 5 years but I did it. My daughter also completed her Bachelor's, and we graduated together. The Master's students were seated in front of the Bachelor's section, so I had a great view up close of when my daughter walked across the stage and stood up and whooped and hollered and nearly broke my mortar board!
You get out of ceremonies what you put into them. If this means nothing to you, then by all means skip it. But it is a time to come together, to finish, to say thank you and goodbye (or just goodbye :) ). It allows your family and friends to share in a time of passage and achievement. Besides, parties are fun! There is also a sense of continuity, I happen to think nursing is a special profession, and I celebrate the guts and determination that the women who used that "silly lamp" had, and what they went through to make nursing a profession instead of a fall back low level and illrespected thing to do.
I graduated from nursing school 2 years ago. I did not go to the pinning ceremony or the graduation. It was never important to me. I also have a previous degree - bachelors in business - did not go to that ceremony either. No regrets. I went shopping and out to eat on the day of graduation and had a more enjoyable time with my family.
I didn't go to mine. Our pins coated $60! I just wanted my papers so I can take the boards & get a job! I don't think you'll regret it. Ive been a nurse for 2yrs & I don't ever hear anyone talking about their previous pinning ceremony.
I missed out on my HS graduation-I left early for boot camp (if I didn't leave I'd miss the billet for the school I wanted). I didn't go to my previous college graduation because I was in the hospital (emergency surgery). I'm going to my pinning! I've worked too hard to miss it. Plus, my mother said she would go (she is 75) :heartbeat and has been my sole supporter through it all.
Yes, it might be cheesy. I don't care. I earned the right to do cheesy!
Wow, not being judgemental or anything but I think ya'll are plum crazy! LOL (just kidding)
Seriously, my graduation is pinning and graduation. There are no lanterns, no whites, there's a cap and gown, a diploma and a pin. We also have a senior brunch beforehand a couple of days before graduation. Am I going? YOU BET. To all of it. Every last minute.
For all the turmoil that I put my husband and kids through to get to graduation, there's no way I'd miss that. We need to celebrate the hard work and effort that we ALL put into it. They (the kids) need to appreciate that sometimes you have to sacrifice for great things in life, and to recognize that hard work pays off. It's been a rough road for everyone to say the least, there's a lot that's had to be overcome in this journey.
As a means to an end of my husband being away from us 337 days a year to earn a living to support our family, it will be an extremely emotional day at best. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to even get through the ceremony without falling to pieces (and I probably won't no matter what).
All that being said, If I were graduating with 1200 people I didn't know, well I might feel differently, but somehow I don't think I would. It's an accomplishment and something that comes one time, even if you have a previous degree, ESPECIALLY if you have a previous degree, you know how different this one is and you probably worked harder at this than anything (we've had masters prepared individuals throw in the towel and go home). It's only a few hours. I wouldn't want to look back and regret it later on.
I did not go to mine for all of the above reasons and the added unjustified expense. I thought I would just be paying for another headache and for the benefit of someone else oohing and aahing. I am not into pins, ceremonies, caps or lamps at all.
I was actually just the opposite: I also had previous degrees, so I decided not to do the graduation, ( been there, done that!), but I wanted to participate in the pinning ceremony because this was something different, just my nursing classmates, our instructors, and families. I really enjoyed it. But, to each his own.
I am so glad you posted this. I secretly have been thinking this, but I was too afraid nobody would understand.
I already asked the director if it was ok if we didn't buy a pin. (Pins are these overpriced school logos made in s/s or gold, so I can't even get a cheap one?!) She gave me a guilt trip about pride and how much her pin means to her.
I don't want to go to graduation or pinning. I'm really not interested in either. And to have to rent clothes and sit while hundreds of strangers' names are called (graduation) or listen to nursing faculty talk about themselves -- why would I do this? I am not a big fan of my nursing school anyway. Worst experience I've ever had taking college classes, and trust me I know - I already have a bachelor's from another school. Worst adviser, worst exams, worst everything. They've got such a monopoly going: people desperate to get into the field wait in line to get into local nursing schools. Instructors hired because the director likes them, not because they won some award being a good teacher. Their sole mission is to discourage or flunk out anyone who might not pass NCLEX, because all we hear about is how important the school's @#$#$ NCLEX pass rate is.
They also appointed someone class president the one day in the semester I had to miss class. And now she is planning a massive catered thing (at our expense, of course), and she's not asking anyone their input. bleh
I'll probably go and be miserable. I feel that I will continue to need these peoples' approval for recommendations, until I get my first real job. And as unprofessional as some of them are, I don't trust them not to hold it against me if I don't buy a pin or go to the ceremony. Hopefully your instructors are different.
I have previous degree, and my LPN is truly the proudest I have ever been. To not be pinned and to not have the lantern to me mocks the nursing profession. It was one of my best experiences, and I loved it!
I didn't want to go to mine, but they combined it with graduation. Walk across the stage, shake the Dean's hand, get pinned by a faculty member, go back to your seat.
I probably wouldn't have gone to graduation, but my parents came and all of my friends were going to go. We made a pact that we would all go together. We threw a big brunch beforehand, had bloody marys and mimosas. Perhaps that's what made graduation more tolerable?
But graduation is with ALL students attending the college, not just nursing students. The pinning ceremony is much more personal and only with students you know. I guess I see why some of you feel you don't want to go because I thought of not going to graduation at one time too. I guess it means more to some then it does to others.
Our graduation was just the School of Nursing, I might have had a different opinion on "pinning" if it was the whole University. Then I definitely would not have gone to graduation!
CrunchyMama, ASN, RN
1,068 Posts
But graduation is with ALL students attending the college, not just nursing students. The pinning ceremony is much more personal and only with students you know. I guess I see why some of you feel you don't want to go because I thought of not going to graduation at one time too. I guess it means more to some then it does to others.