Oh my god! Did you know they have kindergarten graduations these days? Would you invite friends and family to that? Hell, I graduated with my Master’s Degree, and the only people I invited were my parents. So, no. This may not be a big deal. I think it all depends on what is expected. In my family, college is seen as the minimum, but it’s just another step on the way. The unspoken message is that you’re not truly educated until you’ve got your Ph.D., which is what my father has. Of course, none of us kids has one.
My parents came to my high school graduation and my college graduation. My friends were at college graduation, but only those who were in my class. We never had any special parties that I can remember. My neighbors seem to throw bashes for their kids on high school, and maybe college graduation. They invite everyone on the block and family and friends. But that’s the after party, not the graduation itself.
Most of the people I know would see being invited to a graduation as a burden, not a privilege. You get to sit in the hot, hot sun for hours listening to a boring speech followed by a boring recitation of the names of the graduates. Many people are grateful not to receive an invitation to something like that. If your parents have to fly in from out of town, you have to entertain them for days before and after the ceremony. It’s a serious downer.
It all depends. For many people I think it means an awful lot more than it does in my family. Also, I think that maybe I wouldn’t have felt so badly about myself if my parents had made more of a deal about me graduating. So many people actually do celebrate the achievement. I’m 52, and I’m still waiting for an achievement worth celebrating. God, that’s sad, now that I think about it. Oh well.