To Walk or Not?

Walk, your children will have a beautiful and proud memory of their mom being recognized for her hard work. Education is very important. Your children will get to see one of the rewards!

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GIRL FRIEND!! WALK!!! I'll be there!!! I'll cheer you on!!! WALK!!! You earned it!!!!

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Do the Walk and make a mini family vacation out of it. It'll be a lovely memory :) Congrats!

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It's a long way, it's expensive, and it's time-consuming.

But if I were you, would I walk? You bet!

Let your children SEE you receive your degree. The visual impression will stay with them and it may help them want to earn a degree of their own one day. Celebrate! Make it a mini-vacation if you can.

In 2000, when my younger daughter graduated from college, the "regular" students received their degrees with due appreciation from the audience. Then degrees were awarded to the "non-regulars" (I don't remember what the division was really called), the folks with jobs and families who had been spending nights and weekends taking courses and studying. They each received applause, screams, hoots, hollers, and anything else you can think of from their "fan clubs" - family members, friends, neighbors, strangers. Even when there were just a few fans, they were joyful and noisy! I remember one little toddler running down the aisle to hug her daddy as soon as he stepped off the stage with his degree in his hand.

Give your children (and yourself) the experience. Hike up there... and walk! That's my vote.

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WALK!!! How totally freakin' AWESOME for your kids to see that!! I think it will feel good to you too--especially since it is kicking your tail!!

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I'd definitely walk. I would have walked for the BA too. But that's just me. My hubby would rather die than walk LOL

I'm back in school myself and I can tell you this ... it'll take a LOT to keep me from walking when I get my degree(s). Only way I'm not walking is if I'm in a coma.

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I WOULD TOTALLY WALK!!! YEAH YOU! For all the reasons that you said...it was tons of hours, it was homework, it was a lot of effort, your kids can see you get the end result. I say, WALK!
Good job!

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I really don't know what to say, but I will say, that when my daughter finishes her doctorate from Johns Hopkins, I sure hope she walks! We're going to try just about ANYTHING to go and watch... and money sure isn't plentiful for us right now, so I'm now sure how we're going to do it..... (We live in Texas, so the trip will be expensive for us....)

I realize there are also costs involved for her (cost of the gown, and such), but I, as her mom, really want to go see that!

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I went back to college several years later. I walked when I received my BS. I'm so glad I did! My kids and all my family came to graduation. It was so very special and my kids got to see what M. was working so hard for. When they called my name, my group yelled and hooted. The President of the University said "wow, you must be very loved". My daughter told me she was going to college the "easy" way. I asked her what that was and she said "right out of high school, with no kids or husband". She graduates in May 2012 with her BS with no kids and no husband!

I think its important for the kids to see what hard work does especially in this day and age. Congratulations!!!!

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Walk. It sounds like your husband wants to honor you and all your hard work. Your son is old enough to understand, be proud of you and keep the memory of your trip. Plus, you didn't walk for your bachelors, so I'd do it for the experience. Congratulations!

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I wouldn't but maybe its important for you to walk and show your kids your accomplishment? Because I wouldn't, I would throw a party for me and thanking those that made your accomplishment possible: all the people who inspired you, watched your kids, your kids for being an inspiration, etc. I think ritual and marking time and effort is important, but for some reason walking ended for me at BA.

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Walk - spend the night in a nice hotel...have a nice dinner out...enjoy it you have worked hard!!!!!!

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New Hampshire is a cool state, you can plan a mini family vacation around it if you want. It is a hike, it is a pain and it is boring. Very worth it to show your kids. My hubby dropped out of college when he was young. He went back and completed his degree a couple of years ago, and he was debating whether he'd walk or not. He felt different because he was older than most of the other students (he graduated at 36). But I was there with the kids, and with my husband's parents and we all cheered for him. My girls will remember all of their dad's hard work to finish school after being married with kids and a mortgage and bills to pay. And if they're ever thinking "gee maybe I should drop out of school" at the age of 19, or 20 or 21, they'll think, "no, I have it easy now. Imagine having to do this with all the pressures of life like my dad did!"
Do it!

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I think it would be awesome for your kids to see the culmination of your hard work and sacrifices. My Mom got her college degree when we were young so I can relate to the sacrifices that have been made. I wasn't much older than your son and I still remember her studying and how proud I was to see her walk. And your right, it was a great example. I went on to earn a masters of my own! And New Hampshire and the rest of New England are perfect vacation spots!

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Congrats.. I am in amazement over you moms that can do this.. I have been struggling with my education for years and I hope to be in your shoes one day.. I say WALK, show your kids what happens when you work hard, that all the time away from them has lead to this a HUGE celebration, what an accomplishment... make a big deal of it, because it is a big deal.. How inspiring it will be for your kids..

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Hi, Mom:

Get your cap and gown. Invite your friends and have your own personal graduation exercise after you get your degree mailed to you.
Good luck.
Congratulations.
D.

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Do it! You have to walk to get the cool pictures in your cap & gown. You should celebrate this huge accomplishment. Congratulations.

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I start back to school in January and I've already decided that I won't walk. Its all online for me too- I'm in Ohio, my school is in PA. Its not any less of a degree if you don't walk. Congrats on graduating!

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I did the walk in high school and have skipped it in college. I could not care less about it.

I have thought about it and do wish I had a photo in a cap and gown. Sears has the cap and gown for their photo shoots so if I wasn't so much older, I would go in and have them take a set for me just to show the kids.
This feeling has only happened 20 years later when I am wanting to show my child about college.

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I would walk. Even with the trip to NH! It won't matter that you won't know anyone there. That just means that you may not get the most applause. Your family will be there.

When I graduated from Computer Learning Center, if was just for a certificate, but we all dressed nice (no gowns) and there were only a total of 40 people there in a hotel conference room for a 30 minute ceremony, but I was there. My Dad was there. The smile and hug after meant a lot.

The grandeur of the ceremony will be the icing on the cake and leave a lasting impression on your kids. This is YOUR moment. Enjoy it.
Congrats!

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Personal choice.
I'm not big on formality.
I didn't walk for my undergrad because I just didn't want to.
No biggie either way....whatever feels *right* for you, I guess.

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My husband walked, but it was only a 30 minute drive. Anything of a drive much more burdensome for, he wouldn't have walked, unless he had the resources and wanted to make a fun weekend out of it. So what do you want to do? Do that! :)

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I have a Ph.D. I didn't walk for any of my degrees.

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If it were me, I wouldn't walk. I would have preferred not to walk at my college graduation. It was 3 hours of a lot of sitting and waiting for my 5 seconds on stage. I'm not big on ceremonies, so for me it wasn't worth it. But, if it's important to your husband and you aren't completely against it, then I would go ahead and do it for them.

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Well, I just did something similar, and we opted to have a graduation party at our house for me instead of me going to the actual graduation. I felt a lot more personal attention and a lot of gratification from the party, and I didn't have to sit and listen to any strangers talk for hours, hooray!

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No, it would be a waste of time for me. I walked in high school and for my associates but did not even consider it for any other. I would consider it if it were my home town university where all my friends were walking at the same time. One of those mushy girly things. But I didn't have any desire to go sit for hours and listen to talks then stand and wait...boring.

I can understand. My cousin walked for her Masters in Education the same night I walked for my associates degree. Looking back I wish I had decided to send the family to her's instead and watcher her myself. She had no one here, she lived in Anchorage, and was in Oklahoma for short time just to get this particular degree.

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I did not do it when I received my graduate degree . . . I did do it for undergrad.

I would spend that time & money going somewhere with the family!

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