Ph.D. mamas--did u walk?

[*bejeweled*]

Hi,
Just wondering, if you earned your doctorate, did you walk for graduation?

I am not planning to walk, but I'm thinking about purchasing the regalia for photos. But I can't decide whether or not it's worth it. What do you think? What did you do?

[Super~Single~Mama]

I'm almost done with my JD, but I walked with my class last spring - TOTALLY worth it!!! I've worked SO hard for 3 years to get this thing, and it was REALLY cool to walk!

My school is super informal though, and so I walked with my ds! (almost all the parents walked with their kids) and it was really nice to be recognized for doing all this work. It was so much fun to walk - the rest of graduation was super boring, but I say do it.

Oh yeah, since my ex and I were in the same school, and same graduating class, my ds was the only person to cross the stage twice! It was really funny, and really cute!

[New_Natural_Mom]

I didn't walk for my Masters. It was downtown Chicago in December and I had just started a new job. Myself and all my fam live in the suburbs, so I didn't want us all to have to schlepp down there.

Now, next year when I get my Ed.D. you bet your hot pants I am walking! I will be so proud for my DS to see me and after what will be 4 years (the longest it has ever taken me to get a degree) and a TON of money, I am milking this for all it is worth. I want pictures, flowers, a ticker tape parade...news coverage isn't out of the question...:nana

[mambera]

Heck no. I skipped graduation entirely for both of my doctoral degrees. I have no interest in ceremonies generally, and it wasn't like I had a graduating class to bond with or anything.

[Ellien C]

Would you take advice from an MBA? I graduated in septemeber and I'm VERY sorry I didn't walk and that I didn't have my parents out for some kind of ceremony. I do regret it. It's just a little marker but it's meaningful in our culture and I'm a bit sorry I didn't take part in it.

If you just want pictures taken, can you borrow someone's regalia?

[meemee]

my friend didnt want to walk. but his 7 year old son wanted him to walk. so he walked for his son

can you not rent the regalia for the photographs? that's what my friend did. he had to buy a few things but most of it he rented.

and personally no i dont think its worth the investment unless you plan to work in academia where you might be wearing your stuff sometimes.

[Geofizz]

My department did a graduation ceremony and party, and they had loaner regalia for everyone the day before the university ceremony. No way was I going to walk with the university and sit through 10000 names getting read from the mongo university where I got my degree. I had allegiance to my department and none to the university.

[maryeliz]

I walked. I wasn't too excited about doing it, but I was surprised at how moving I found the whole experience. I was in a big program for along time, so I actually knew a lot of other people who were also walking. I did summer graduation, so it was small and mostly Ph.Ds. Many of them were international students with families who had traveled a long way for the ceremony. My family also came and was incredibly excited and proud. So all and all a good experience even though I was wearing a synthetic velvet robe in a 90 degree un-airconditioned chapel.

I would also say rent regalia-renting was $50 vs. a grand to buy.

[kate3]

I walked for both my MS and PhD

When I got my PhD my kids were 7, 10, & 11. It was a wonderful experience and they got to see the end result of all my hard work. My mom and brother also came to graduation. We have some very cherished family pictures from that day.

I bought the robes because I knew I would be working in academia and would need them.

[Ellien C]

I was 4 or 5 and I remember my mother getting her masters.

[somegirl99]

No, I didn't bother. Not sure I would have known anybody in the ceremony, and my dissertation defense and party afterward were much more meaningful to me.

[marinak1977]

Originally Posted by somegirl99

No, I didn't bother. Not sure I would have known anybody in the ceremony, and my dissertation defense and party afterward were much more meaningful to me.

I found my defense to be the important day, and really did not care to sit through the long boring commencement ceremony. My family came for the defense and it was a wonderful day.

[Girlprof]

I walked and it was great. But I went to such a "mongo" (love it!) university that we graduated by department so the ceremony was still pretty big, but not out of control. They also made a big deal out of the PhDs.

My parents bought the regalia for me as a present. A little bit of me wonders about that. The school where I work now would have rented regalia for me for free every year for graduation and I think they would buy the regalia if I get tenure. Still, it's quite nice that my parents got it. Definitely borrow if it's only for pics though.

[JElaineB]

Nope. I defended in August and moved to my postdoc, my degree was conferred in December but the commencement ceremony was not until the following June. I didn't want to fly back for it, I already was almost a year past it at that point. I didn't end up wearning my regalia until I attended a commencment while I was working at another school almost 10 years later. (I didn't buy the regalia, the school rented it for me. If you want pics I would agree with the rental option).

[*bejeweled*]

Thanks ladies for all of your replies. I really appreciate them. I've decided not to walk. Most of my friends graduated many years ago, so it doesn't have the same meaning for me. And I don't want to spend the money on regalia and pics. DH bought me a meaningful piece of jewelry instead.

I received my diploma in the mail, and it's gorgeous! I'm going to get it beautifully framed.

I am so happy.

[JElaineB]

Sounds like a great plan. Congratulations!

[*bejeweled*]

Originally Posted by JElaineB

Sounds like a great plan. Congratulations!

Thank you.