Earning a college degree is a huge accomplishment that anyone should be proud of. Whether you were the first in your family to continue onto higher education or you attended your parents’ alma mater, it takes a lot of hard work to walk out of university with a diploma.
So when it comes time for the big day, those graduating should be able to celebrate however they like. And if that means throwing a party that doesn’t include children, so be it. Below, you’ll find a story that was recently shared on the Entitled Parents subreddit, detailing how one mom tried to hijack a friend’s graduation party by making it about her daughter as well.
Graduating from university is a huge accomplishment
Image credits: lavdiyav (not the actual photo)
So when a family friend tried to convince this woman to have a joint graduation party, she refused to share the spotlight
Image credits: hwilson8 (not the actual photo)
Image credits: r/entitledparents
Only 62% of college students in the United States actually finish their degrees within six years
Image credits: Gül Işık (not the actual photo)
While it might be an expectation in some families, graduating from college is a huge accomplishment in others. According to the Pew Research Center, by 2021, 37.9% of adults in the US over the age of 25 had earned a bachelor’s degree, and 14.3% had even gone on to receive a graduate or professional degree as well.
While education should be a right for everyone, higher education is often seen as a privilege that not everyone has access to, due to lack of support, resources or funding. But of course, not everyone has the desire to continue their education either. The Pew Research Center found in 2021 that a third of men who didn’t get a degree said they simply didn’t want to, and a quarter of the same group noted that it wasn’t necessary for their career fields.
Completing a program is something to be proud of for many reasons, including the fact that only 62% of college students in the US actually finish their degree within 6 years. And college graduates that are part of minority groups should be extremely proud as well, as only 20.6% of Hispanic and 28.1% of Black Americans over the age of 25 have graduated from college.
Having a college degree can be beneficial in various aspects of a person's life
Image credits: Emily Ranquist (not the actual photo)
There’s no question that getting a degree is not for everyone. If you plan on pursuing real estate, being a firefighter, being an electrician or plumber, you might only require specific training in that field rather than a bachelor’s degree. But many jobs do require higher education, and even if you’re unsure of what you’d like to do, it can be worth the investment.
The Pew Research Center reports that the earning gap between college graduates and those without degrees is growing. The median annual wage for those between the ages of 22 to 27 with a bachelor’s degree was $52,000 in 2021. Meanwhile, their peers without higher education earned $30,000 on average.
And if you ask Americans themselves, many who have earned a college degree will say that the experience was worth it. Half of college graduates say their education was extremely useful in helping them grow personally and intellectually, and 44% note that their education helped open up doors to job opportunities. 38% also say going to university helped them develop specific skills and knowledge to use in the workplace.
Graduating from college is an accomplishment that deserves to be celebrated
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
When it comes to celebrating the accomplishment of earning a college degree, it’s up to the individual whether they want to throw a party, have a nice dinner with their family or leave immediately after the ceremony and never return. But according to GraduationsNow, it is a landmark event that should be celebrated, because it symbolizes all of the growth and hard work a student has experienced over the past few years.
Your life may change significantly following your graduation, so it’s nice to take advantage of the opportunity to celebrate and relax for a moment before moving onto the hustle and bustle of your new career. But graduating from kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school do not need to be celebrated in quite the same way. These are accomplishments as well, but implying that kindergarten graduation and earning a degree are on the same level can come off as a bit insulting.
The woman in this story deserves to celebrate her big day how she likes, and if that doesn’t include having little kids running around, that’s her choice. We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. How would you have dealt with this entitled mother? Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing entitled parents, look no further than right here.
Readers shared their thoughts on the situation, and the soon-to-be graduate responded with some more background information
Readers assured the OP that she deserves to celebrate her graduation however she wants to
