I went to get a check-up at my dental clinic a few months ago. I have an amazing dentist; she treats me well and is always honest about my oral health, both good and bad. Incidentally, one of her kids went on the same study abroad trip I did two years ago. Since then, we’ve developed a good rapport.
Once my appointment finished, she congratulated me on graduating from college and said that my parents must be incredibly proud. I thanked her and kept thinking about what she said.
Is graduating something to be congratulated?
Graduation is a formal event that marks the completion of an academic program, e.g., high school, college, or university. It’s a milestone that signifies the achievement of educational goals and the transition to the next phase of life. It’s natural to celebrate such a special occasion, especially when it’s not given to everyone— my parents didn’t have a graduation because they never reached high school.
In the case of my graduation, the moment is grand because I’m the first in my family to graduate from college. There was more weight on my shoulders. So, the cheering from others felt resounding.
But it also felt weird. I’m grateful they congratulated me. But it also felt like they were happier about my graduation than I was. I don’t think my graduation is something to be congratulated.
Winning a pulitzer prize is something to be congratulated. Winning an Oscar is something to be congratulated. Winning Entrepreneur of the Year is something to be congratulated. Winning an award from your local chamber of commerce is something to be congratulated.
Congratulations are deserved when recognition is unexpected. Even if something is 99% expected, that 1% of unexpectedness can still surprise people. When you’re uncertain if your work will get recognized is when congratulations is most deserving. Graduating was something I expected, and I knew I would get recognized. Maybe others didn’t expect it, but I did.
Perhaps it could also be that I feel naturally awkward about receiving praise from others; it makes me feel uncomfortable. It could also be that my priorities are different, and that I value them more highly than my graduation. Or maybe it could be that I have goals that I haven’t achieved, preventing me from being attuned to the celebrations of my graduation. If this is the case, then I apologize for not fully enjoying my graduation. In my defense, there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.
I won’t deny the importance of congratulating people’s graduation— they earned it for the hard work and sacrifices they made. I just felt weird about mine and wanted to know why. In any case, my graduation passed and I’m extremely appreciative to everyone who came to celebrate. I hope my friends and families from different states and countries enjoyed it.
Congratulations to everyone who graduated! I hope this achievement brings you closer to where you want to be.
Here’s my inspiration for the day.