I skipped the graduation ceremonies for my BA and my first master’s degree. For my second, apparently the cost of a cap, gown and hood was included in the tuition so I have academic regalia sitting in a box somewhere should I ever find myself in need of such, a scenario I cannot imagine ever coming to pass.

Yeah, I skipped mine too. I was not (and am not) at all proud of my box-checking degrees.

I had a blast in undergrad, not at all because of the classes.

Same here, walking across the stage in a dress is for the school, not for you. Got my paper, bye

It’s also for the families, but mine wasn’t available for the BA and I told them not to bother for the first master’s. The second, I only went to because it was a low-residence program and the ceremony took place during the final residency and being one of less than 20 people in the cohort, my absence would have been conspicuous.

Lol yeah, still pissed at my family for having me walk for high school grad, didn't walk for college because I got a real job instead of wasting my time graduating. What a stupid tradition; mandatory accredited higher education deserves the death waiting for it. Paid for a dumb "class ring", too.

Halloween costume? Or perhaps you could donate it to someone who would otherwise have to pay the fee.

There was no additional fee for it. The program was shut down in 2020 so there are also no later graduates to receive it.

Halloween costume?

I just did online school and didn't bother showing up to any kind of ceremony. I was 30 when I finally finished school, I didn't really feel the need to prove anything.

You can just not participate in the ceremony and then you don’t have to spend any extra money at all.