Graduation Dilemma, Revisited

As I alluded to in my last post, I am nearing the end of my graduate studies. Yesterday, I received confirmation of my summer course's availability, which means that all appropriate stars have aligned in such a way as to allow me to graduate on time…and the crowd lets loose a sigh of relief!

Just shy of two years ago, I struggled with whether or not to do a graduation walk, and I find myself struggling in very much the same way. On the one hand, I absolutely want to celebrate what feels like a fairly tremendous accomplishment: I feel pretty good about having completed (about will having had completed? about the prospect of having completed? what is the correct format for hypothetical future-past tense? I am not an English major…) this program while working, raising kids, and otherwise seeing to all that is involved in living life. I don't want to downplay this achievement in the slightest; but I did just celebrate this two years ago, you know?

I don't want my family, who principally lives in NY, to feel like they have to visit again just two years later to celebrate with me. I don't want friends (who largely seem to ignore me when I say “no gifts necessary”) to feel like they should be purchasing gifts for this occasion. In general, I want to celebrate, but having just done so two years prior, I'd prefer not to be burdensome while doing so.

I cannot think of a much more first-world problem than that which the question“how do I appropriately celebrate the completion of an advanced degree program” poses. I'd have to say that life, then, is pretty good.

(But it wouldn't be a blog post, especially not by me, if I didn't complain some, so I'm exhausted, I'm unhappy with my grades, I'm struggling with my perfectionism, and I tied my right shoe way tighter than my left one which is leaving my foot uncomfortable and me out-of-sorts feeling.)

Comments

[Sarah]

I like "the prospect of having completed" or "almost having completed". :-)

(my *mother* was an English teacher)