35 quid for each guest at Graduation ceremony?
- Thread starter jusali
- Start date
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
don't go then.
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bi0boy
Power User
You sit there listening to lots of names being read out.
Eventually you shake the hand of someone who is probably very bored of shaking hands and doesn't really care about you. They give you a piece of paper that would have been more conveniently conveyed to you by post. You might even have to pay extra for a colour version. The chances are no one will ever ask to see that piece of paper apart from family members, but you will feel compelled to keep possession of it until you die, whereupon your executor may come across it and feel slightly depressed about how fleeting life is, and then pop it in the recycling.
Eventually you shake the hand of someone who is probably very bored of shaking hands and doesn't really care about you. They give you a piece of paper that would have been more conveniently conveyed to you by post. You might even have to pay extra for a colour version. The chances are no one will ever ask to see that piece of paper apart from family members, but you will feel compelled to keep possession of it until you die, whereupon your executor may come across it and feel slightly depressed about how fleeting life is, and then pop it in the recycling.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
Luxury! I didn't even get a piece of paper.
I did however get a piece of white plastic drain pipe with a red ribbon tied around it as a pretend degree certificate for the photo
The price generally covers refreshments, the cost of getting the dignitaries there, and the cost of any performers, as well as the cost (in the case of Ely cathedral) of large television screens to let you see the graduation ceremony when you'd hardly be able to see it, on account of the building being long and narrow.
As I reminded VP, the day is less about you personally as you know how hard you've worked and what an achievement it's been. The day is more for friends and/or family.
As I reminded VP, the day is less about you personally as you know how hard you've worked and what an achievement it's been. The day is more for friends and/or family.
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
IIRC, I got one *free* guest, but I had to pay for the second one. My parents got these, obv.
Had I wanted any more (and if they were not immediate family) the others would have had to go into a lottery for tickets to the ceremony - which also had to be paid for, and that was without "official" refreshments)
My academic department held a "reception" for the staff to meet graduates and their guests - mainly to network! - as it was unlimited numbers with only a nominal charge for the buffet and drinks.
Had I wanted any more (and if they were not immediate family) the others would have had to go into a lottery for tickets to the ceremony - which also had to be paid for, and that was without "official" refreshments)
My academic department held a "reception" for the staff to meet graduates and their guests - mainly to network! - as it was unlimited numbers with only a nominal charge for the buffet and drinks.
QueenOfGoths
Fuck you Dave!
Mr. QofG's and I were asked to produce our graduation certificates during the adoption process. Presumably to prove we had been to where we said we had but I thought it a bit strange.You sit there listening to lots of names being read out.
Eventually you shake the hand of someone who is probably very bored of shaking hands and doesn't really care about you. They give you a piece of paper that would have been more conveniently conveyed to you by post. You might even have to pay extra for a colour version. The chances are no one will ever ask to see that piece of paper apart from family members, but you will feel compelled to keep possession of it until you die, whereupon your executor may come across it and feel slightly depressed about how fleeting life is, and then pop it in the recycling.
I couldn't provide mine as it had got lost at some point in the proceeding 25 years and I never needed to produce it in all that time before.
There followed an afternoon with our social worker of me trying to convince her that the absence of my certificate didn't mean I wasn't proud of my achievements or unsupportive of the further education system. SHe looked at me very oddly when I said I didn't feel I needed a piece of paper to make me proud
Steel Icarus
we move
Mine was a week last Saturday - £17 per guest. Wasn't really looking forward to it but when it came to it I was so happy I went. Getting my degree (well, a piece of paper saying good effort etc in a tube and a memory stick with postgrad info on) felt really special, like a landmark moment, and to have my family there whooping and crying and all that was brilliant. Go, jusali, enjoy, you earned it, now bloody well milk it. It's a one-off.
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
We automatically got two free guest tickets at mine. Hiring the cap and gown was a joke though 90quid or something. Got that back providing you returned it but they wee slow at doing it.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
i've been to all of mine
Sapphireblue
Well-Known Member
refreshments? performers?
i can't remember if my guests were free but all in all it was the dullest and longest event ever and not in any way joyful. i got a couple of ok pics that cost a fortune. there was no actual celebration / social aspect to it at all.
i can't remember if my guests were free but all in all it was the dullest and longest event ever and not in any way joyful. i got a couple of ok pics that cost a fortune. there was no actual celebration / social aspect to it at all.
Think they'll cancel my ticket when I show up with my own dslr?
Think they'll cancel my ticket when I show up with my own dslr?[/QUOTE
Nah, I took loads of our own, but her folks wanted a portrait photo to frame.
Not cheap but they paid for them!
It's my wife's second graduation. Not mine.
To me it's just another example of the education sector grabbing as much money as they can for as little effort.
Just like business in general and it fucks me off and not enough people are standing up and saying "fuck this, send me my certificate and I'll have a nice meal at a restaurant with my nearest and dearest in celebration".
At least a restaurant knows it is a business and doesn't pretend like it's some kind of national asset constantly sponging off the treasury and gouging fees from it's customers.......
Fucking Universities I have had 3 yrs of their bollocks and incompetency and
To me it's just another example of the education sector grabbing as much money as they can for as little effort.
Just like business in general and it fucks me off and not enough people are standing up and saying "fuck this, send me my certificate and I'll have a nice meal at a restaurant with my nearest and dearest in celebration".
At least a restaurant knows it is a business and doesn't pretend like it's some kind of national asset constantly sponging off the treasury and gouging fees from it's customers.......
Fucking Universities I have had 3 yrs of their bollocks and incompetency and
ATOMIC SUPLEX
Member Since: 1985 Post Count: 3
As I recall its not usually the actual piece of paper, my brothers was a plastic tube. Had his photo, then the paper was sent in the post as normal. I didn't go to mine. Just seemed daft.You sit there listening to lots of names being read out.
Eventually you shake the hand of someone who is probably very bored of shaking hands and doesn't really care about you. They give you a piece of paper that would have been more conveniently conveyed to you by post. You might even have to pay extra for a colour version. The chances are no one will ever ask to see that piece of paper apart from family members, but you will feel compelled to keep possession of it until you die, whereupon your executor may come across it and feel slightly depressed about how fleeting life is, and then pop it in the recycling.
No, every bugger there takes photos with their own camera or their phone, but the professionally taken portraits are very nicely taken, beautifully mounted, and useful for giving to anyone who'd really like to have it.
To give you some idea, the shot of VP on stage shaking hands and being given the scroll etc was tiny and black & white (no youtube back then) - the professional portrait photo is one his parents (unable to be there because his dad was having chemo at the time) are very happy to have in their living room.
The ones he likes are what I took - the Dracula, the Hooded Claw, him talking to the photographer, a group shot of lots of people all looking unflattered by the academic gowns, and him downing a mug of desperately needed tea as soon as we got home. IMHO those tell a better story about the day.
Edited to add: VP's dad in particular was extremely unhappy (I don't mean grouchy, I mean miserable) at missing out on what he thought was such a big day, which is why VP promised that if/when he got his Masters, he'd do whatever he could to make sure that his parents could get to the ceremony for that. The second one was in Ely Cathedral, a much prettier venue than the Barbican, and his parents were so impressed by the ease of getting there from Norwich by train (driving would have wiped VP's dad out unless it was a good day) that they want to go back and have a proper look around there on another day.
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Voley
🐀
Yeah that's right. I wasn't too arsed about mine tbh but my folks would've been a bit disappointed as neither of them went to university so it was something they were looking forward to. In the end I'm really glad I went as it was a good laugh. The mortar board/gown malarkey seemed a bit over the top for a humanities degree from Thames Poly
but I thought 'Fuck it, I'm only gonna get to do this once' and I'm glad I did. It was a nice day - my folks were dead proud, I got to say goodbye to some folk I knew I'd probably not see again at a happy occasion and then we all went for a curry and a few pints in Covent Garden.35 quid each seems pricey mind. I can't remember mine costing a lot although it was at The Royal Festival Hall and I can't imagine you hire that on the cheap.
Looby
Well-Known Member
I've just looked up my local uni (where I'll hopefully be going next year) and the tickets are 15 quid each. I was pretty surprised you had to pay at all and 35 quid is crazy. The ceremonies here are at a crappy conference centre then pictures on the beach. I'll sure as hell be going if I ever manage to graduate. I won't have parents there but I reckon my husband and a couple of bezzers would be.
Fuck yeah, gimme that hideous gown. [emoji106]
Fuck yeah, gimme that hideous gown. [emoji106]
scifisam
feck! arse! girls! drink!
My undergraduate uni even charged the participants, so I didn't go. That was taking the piss, I thought.
For my post-grad I went and really enjoyed it. I also didn't mind paying extra for a guest because it's non-obligatory. Otherwise the students who didn't go would be subsidising the relatives of those who did.
I didn't go to the PGCE one and I don't think anyone on my course did either because it was held on a weekday in term time when we were all working. Silly planning there. And, actually, it was free so we were subsidising the others (it was for all postgrad degrees).
For my post-grad I went and really enjoyed it. I also didn't mind paying extra for a guest because it's non-obligatory. Otherwise the students who didn't go would be subsidising the relatives of those who did.
I didn't go to the PGCE one and I don't think anyone on my course did either because it was held on a weekday in term time when we were all working. Silly planning there. And, actually, it was free so we were subsidising the others (it was for all postgrad degrees).
It was £21 per guest (up to 4) for the sit down buffet, plus gown etc hire, plus photo, plus video of the full ceremony (VHS tape, no less!) when I graduated. I didn't tell the guests or my parents about the full cost, as I was already ovedrawn by a few hundred quid (that was a big deal in the early 90s), hadn't got any paid work lined up, and giving them the day really mattered. You can hire the gown without doing the day via Ede & Ravenscroft, if you really must.
I'd already told VP that whether he passed the final year or not, we were going to have a day out with his parents just to recognise all the hard work he'd put in, and that's pretty much what happened.
Do what works for you - a bottle of chilled fizz (or other liquid of choice) on a beach with your own picnic, a few happy photos, and maybe the gown would be great.
Shippou-Sensei
4:1:2.5
Didn't bother with my BSc. Also Didn't bother with my PGCE. Probably won't bother when I get around to getting my masters.
Might do it for Doctorate.
Seem to remember both were free for me and a plus one then around 40 or 50 for aditional guests.
Might do it for Doctorate.
Seem to remember both were free for me and a plus one then around 40 or 50 for aditional guests.
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If they don't charge for it, then the money they spend on it would come from somewhere else - books or student services or salaries or whatever. I'm sure that some universities run it to deliberately make a profit, but if the students themselves don't meet the costs some other activity won't get funded.
Looby
Well-Known Member
Yeah I get it, I just hadn't thought about it.
