NGKUR: College Graduation Parties

[housecarder]

I am curious to everyone's thoughts. I am starting my last semester of nursing school and a few of my classmates are already planning graduation parties. I want to do something to celebrate as well (nursing school isn't easy) but I have never attended a graduation party that wasn't a high school open house. What is the etiquette? One classmate has already started ordering a cake and invites and everything. Am I just too low maintenance or does this seem like overkill to anyone else? I just feel like with all the Pinterest hype these days every event gets blown out of proportion.
Did anyone here have a college graduation party? Who did you invite? Was it like an open house? I don't want to come off as an AW or asking for gifts. Maybe a small party for family and close friends?
Sorry for the rambling, I'm just trying to navigate the norms as I'm a first generation college graduate in my family so this is all new. TIA!

[Sammich_Cat]

I personally don't understand graduations parties, but that's just me, so I wouldn't side eye nor would I be super excited to go to one. Maybe a dinner out with close friends/family if you're also not feeling the whole 'party' thing.

[zombiesquad]

When I graduated from grad school, I just got together with some classmates for a night out. A few of us also did a girls trip to Vegas before graduation. After graduation, I just had an informal get together at my parents' house. No gifts or cake. Just some finger food and drinks. I don't think there's a norm. Do whatever you want to do to celebrate your hard work and achievements.

[dke2010]

First of all, congrats on graduating!!!

When I graduated college, my mom threw a small party for me. It was just family and a few friends, nothing super fancy. She had some snack foods and a cake. It's fun to celebrate a big accomplishment and it can be done without being an AW.

[13liza]

Congrats!!

I had a college graduation party (I was first gen, too) that just included some family and close friends. It was really nice since I attended a college a few hours from home and hadn't been able to see some cousins in a while. I do think that it meant a lot to my parents, too. Some people brought small gifts, but mostly it was just a time to get together and eat/drink.

[housecarder]

Thanks dke2010 and 13liza!
There are only about 20 of us in the graduating class at my school. So I know they will all be having parties if I want to go to something big. I'm not a huge party person as far as drinking and bar hopping. Cook out and cake? I'm all for it. Especially if things go well and I am pregnant by then. I just was worrying that I was making some faux pas by not having a big party. I just kept seeing all these big Pinterest worthy event plans popping up in my news feed and I felt like I had missed something.

[peaseblossom55]

I never had a graduation party after HS, college or grad school. It would be fun to go out with friends drinking or dinner though that night.

[mishy2010]

I had a college graduation party. Majority of my friends in all different majors did as well. My family loves to get together for parties anyway so it was the usual guest list of my aunts/uncles, cousins and some extended family. May and June are always packed with grad parties for me but I love going to them.
If you don't want a party then don't have a party. No big deal.

[♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪]

Congratu-freaking-lations!!

When I graduated from college, close friends and family (that were coming to the graduation) and I went to a nice steakhouse for dinner. We rented out a private area, which was nice. Plenty of food and wine was a good enough celebration for me!

[akraus2015]

Congrats!! I love any and all excuses to have a party, so I vote absolutely have one. My parents threw my party. It was the day of graduation, after the ceremony. We all went back to my moms house and had BBQ and beer and cake. Low key but fun. I didn't ask for or expect any gifts, although I did get cards/money from some relatives.

[kariann12]

When I graduated college me and 5 friends rented a park shelter, bought a couple kegs and invited about a hundred people. Grilled out. Played volleyball and bocce ball all day. It was great.

Later that night we went to the bars, got shwasted, barely woke up in time to walk the stage, and threw up in my graduation cap. But that's irrelevant to the graduation party, obviously.

Congrats! I say party it up! That shit ain't easy!


Edit: we didn't send out invites, just word of mouth. And no one brought gifts. Unless you count shots bought at the bar later :-)

[rooskie]

Man, I didn't even get a high school graduation party. What time of the year are you graduating? Can you have an outside open house cook out? That is what most high school kids do around here, corn hole, beer. etc. Most people I went to college with did not have parties - just family dinners before or after. I didn't even walk for my MBA. I couldn't justify $100 for cap/gown/hood. DH and I did go on a big vacation pretty soon after I finished my MBA so that counts for something?

[paloslee]

Congrats! What a great accomplish that deserves celebrating! I had a grad party for undergrad it was just family and we did a casino theme.

For grad school I didn't want a party I wanted a vacation. I ended up planning a trip to Hawaii. Had a blast!

Sometimes parties are overrated.

[cateyes]

For both undergrad and grad school I just invited family out to dinner after the ceremony. I have never been to a collage grad party but maybe it isn't really a thing around here. I liked just having dinner and feeling done, it didn't add any extra pressure by needing to plan something big.

[LadyNymeria]

My parents threw me a graduation party at their house when I finished undergrad. It was basically all our extended family and my friends. It was just relaxing and grilling in my parents' backyard. My extended family always enjoys spending time together and it is expected the parents of graduates will throw parties.

The only time a party was looked down upon was when a cousin had ANOTHER party when she finished her Masters degree. The way that party was thrown felt very gift grabby / AW-ish and a number of family members weren't too happy about it. I have my Masters as well, but (happily) only had an undergrad party. I personally don't feel both are warranted. Dinner out with immediate family/friends? Definitely! Full blown grad party? Nah.

Congratulations on almost being done with nursing school! That's a huge accomplishment and I definitely think you should celebrate! There's no need for a Pinterest-worthy blow-out, but I'm definitely a big fan of the backyard BBQ and you definitely deserve one!

[expatmama11]

Congraulations!!

I just had dinner with the friends and family who came to watch the ceremony. I think there were around 10 people there, so nice and small. I don't remember my friends having any big parties either.

[housecarder]

Thanks for the congrats everyone. It's been a rough go since it's an accelerated program that you have to keep a B average in or you are out. I'll graduate in late June so I'm thinking just a Facebook event invite to a back yard BBQ for family and close friends (which won't be small because I have a HUGE family) with a note to please not bring gifts.
I love hearing how everyone celebrated their graduations.

[joy]

Mar 25, 2015 4:12:03 GMT -5 housecarder said:

Thanks for the congrats everyone. It's been a rough go since it's an accelerated program that you have to keep a B average in or you are out. I'll graduate in late June so I'm thinking just a Facebook event invite to a back yard BBQ for family and close friends (which won't be small because I have a HUGE family) with a note to please not bring gifts.
I love hearing how everyone celebrated their graduations.

Congrats! This sounds like a nice plan.

Etiquette says that you should never mention gifts. It's rude to assume that people will want to bring you things. "Oh, no gifts? Huh. I hadn't planned on bringing you anything...." And you're the host so that makes it more awkward.

It's up to you what you want to do, but I did want to throw that out there.

[housecarder]

Mar 25, 2015 6:26:53 GMT -5 joy said:

Mar 25, 2015 4:12:03 GMT -5 housecarder said:

Thanks for the congrats everyone. It's been a rough go since it's an accelerated program that you have to keep a B average in or you are out. I'll graduate in late June so I'm thinking just a Facebook event invite to a back yard BBQ for family and close friends (which won't be small because I have a HUGE family) with a note to please not bring gifts.
I love hearing how everyone celebrated their graduations.

Congrats! This sounds like a nice plan.

Etiquette says that you should never mention gifts. It's rude to assume that people will want to bring you things. "Oh, no gifts? Huh. I hadn't planned on bringing you anything...." And you're the host so that makes it more awkward.

It's up to you what you want to do, but I did want to throw that out there.

Thanks! That's why I ask these questions

[Ray]

I am not going to be much help lol I didn't go to my HS, undergrad, or Ed degree graduations lol. I think the people in my B.Ed. program planned a dinner/dancing night and rented a hall for significant others/children/family.

[swivelchair5]

When I graduated from undergrad, I reserved a room at my favorite Mexican place. There were probably about 25 people, family and friends there. My mom, my dad and I split the check for everybody, but it is Mexican so it was pretty cheap.

When I got my Master's, I had a cookout at my place. DH manned the grill, and I made giant jugs of sangria. My mom put herself in charge of plates, cups and napkins, and she bought about 300 of each (about 30 people came to this party). I think we still have some of those paper plates somewhere.

[RajahMD]

For both undergrad and med school graduation, I just went out to dinner with my family. We went to a nicer restaurant for med school, but otherwise pretty low key.

[joy]

I didn't have a party for high school that I can remember.

After college, I stayed up at school with my boyfriend (now husband) for about a week. I finally drove home and my parents surprised me with dinner at a Philly restaurant with my extended family. Apparently they were super concerned that I would stay too long at school and miss it! They were relieved when I finally drove home for good.

I had lunch with my parents, sister and husband after my defense for my PhD. That was all I could handle.

I'm low key.

[Deleted]

Off topic, but can someone tell me what NGKUR means??

housecarder, congratulations on nursing school! Best profession ever!

[swivelchair5]

Mar 25, 2015 7:55:21 GMT -5 @303sunshine said:

Off topic, but can someone tell me what NGKUR means??

housecarder, congratulations on nursing school! Best profession ever!

NGKUR = Not Gettin' Knocked Up Related

[daisy818]

When I graduated law school, a group of maybe 15 of us had a party for our families - very low key, basically a BBQ where we could all spend time together with each other and with our families the evening of graduation (most of us stayed in town all that summer to study for the bar exam, so it wasn't really like we weren't going to see each other again - bar review classes started that Monday!) It was a lot of fun, but I would have never done a party just for me. Didn't do anything at all for college graduation.

[Deleted]

I went to an environmental college and our graduation ceremony was in June, but we all finished the semester in April.  Since the majority of people lived out of town there were no parties.  DH and I had a small party with our families which consisted of a BBQ and cake.  I feel like that was a better way for us to celebrate since our parents were big supporters and encouragers during our schooling.  

I agree that events are getting too hyped up since the pre-Pinterest days!  Are you concerned with throwing a party or attending one?  

[rablissful]

For my undergrad, my parents threw me a party with just close friends/family. It was open house-ish but not super formal.

I don't think I even did anything when I graduated grad school... I didn't even go to graduation. My parents/SO got me presents but didn't do anything.

Edit: CONGRATS by the way. Nursing school is a bitch.

[Deleted]

Mar 25, 2015 7:56:24 GMT -5 swivelchair5 said:

Mar 25, 2015 7:55:21 GMT -5 @303sunshine said:

Off topic, but can someone tell me what NGKUR means??

housecarder, congratulations on nursing school! Best profession ever!

NGKUR = Not Gettin' Knocked Up Related

Ah ha! Thank you!

[fozziebear]

Congrats!

For undergrad, I just had a family dinner at Olive Garden as we drove out of town after the graduation ceremony. I don't know of anyone that had a party because no one was from the town college was in.

For grad, I did not walk in the ceremony because I didn't see the point of buying the cap & gown. H threw a backyard party for me with family and a few close friends.