Anyone else disappointed about graduation?

[Anonymous]

I was surprised they weren’t using either Montgomery college or strathmore. Isn’t strsthmore basically broke? No one is going to see the BSO at 9 am on a Wednesday morning so it seems like they should rent it out for a good price.

Seems like there should be options closer than UMBC but I guess not. The 9 am on a Wednesday is as much of a bummer as the location—if it were afternoon or a Friday maybe it would be easier to make it feel celebratory or for siblings to attend. Anyway, it’s all a minor disappointment but not really a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have they started the process of selecting venues for 2025 graduation? How can we advocate for home field or another place within MoCo?

There are no other places in MoCo besides home field.

I tell you what you should do this year:
1. Find out when your child's high school graduation is this year
2. At the time of this year's graduation, drive down to the high school. Unfortunately, you won't be able to practice what parking would be like on graduation day if the event were held at the school.
3. Starting at the time of graduation, sit in the bleacher for 2 hours
4. Invite grandparents to join you. Have them sit in the bleachers with you for those two hours
5. Or maybe skip that part since you may not get enough tickets to invite grandparents
6. If it rains during that time, take a guess as to when the make up graduation would be and repeat the same test

After doing this, you can really make the informed decision of whether you want to vote to have next year's graduation on home field or not.

You can stare at an ocean/be at a beach with a hat on for longer than 2 hours when the temps are high, but you can't sit to watch your precious gem for two hours? WEAR a HAT. Bring a towel for the bleacher seat. Elderly and those needing shaded areas can be accommodated inside in the school's auditorium, cafeteria. Or leave your elderly at home on your couch and go get them before you go out for a celebratory meal if you go out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised they weren’t using either Montgomery college or strathmore. Isn’t strsthmore basically broke? No one is going to see the BSO at 9 am on a Wednesday morning so it seems like they should rent it out for a good price.

Seems like there should be options closer than UMBC but I guess not. The 9 am on a Wednesday is as much of a bummer as the location—if it were afternoon or a Friday maybe it would be easier to make it feel celebratory or for siblings to attend. Anyway, it’s all a minor disappointment but not really a big deal.

Strathmore doesn't have enough capacity, fewer than 2000 seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have they started the process of selecting venues for 2025 graduation? How can we advocate for home field or another place within MoCo?

There are no other places in MoCo besides home field.

I tell you what you should do this year:
1. Find out when your child's high school graduation is this year
2. At the time of this year's graduation, drive down to the high school. Unfortunately, you won't be able to practice what parking would be like on graduation day if the event were held at the school.
3. Starting at the time of graduation, sit in the bleacher for 2 hours
4. Invite grandparents to join you. Have them sit in the bleachers with you for those two hours
5. Or maybe skip that part since you may not get enough tickets to invite grandparents
6. If it rains during that time, take a guess as to when the make up graduation would be and repeat the same test

After doing this, you can really make the informed decision of whether you want to vote to have next year's graduation on home field or not.

You can stare at an ocean/be at a beach with a hat on for longer than 2 hours when the temps are high, but you can't sit to watch your precious gem for two hours? WEAR a HAT. Bring a towel for the bleacher seat. Elderly and those needing shaded areas can be accommodated inside in the school's auditorium, cafeteria. Or leave your elderly at home on your couch and go get them before you go out for a celebratory meal if you go out.

Another way of saying that is, "I think you should have my priorities, not your priorities."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big schools in MCPS used to graduate at UMD, which is much better than doing it at UMBC. But alas, UMBC is cheaper and further than UMD, so it won out.

UMD deliberately priced themselves out of contention. They didn't want to deal with it any more.

Source? I would think there was an RFP and some combo of tech and pricing resulted in selections.
They still hold a fair number of PG County graduations at UMD Xfinity, thought many appear to now instead be at the Show Place Arena.

[Anonymous]

Just have to go to a small private school with a chapel on premises. Or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have they started the process of selecting venues for 2025 graduation? How can we advocate for home field or another place within MoCo?

There are no other places in MoCo besides home field.

I tell you what you should do this year:
1. Find out when your child's high school graduation is this year
2. At the time of this year's graduation, drive down to the high school. Unfortunately, you won't be able to practice what parking would be like on graduation day if the event were held at the school.
3. Starting at the time of graduation, sit in the bleacher for 2 hours
4. Invite grandparents to join you. Have them sit in the bleachers with you for those two hours
5. Or maybe skip that part since you may not get enough tickets to invite grandparents
6. If it rains during that time, take a guess as to when the make up graduation would be and repeat the same test

After doing this, you can really make the informed decision of whether you want to vote to have next year's graduation on home field or not.

Every single thing you cite is something my whole family did in the 1980s. It was fine. Graduation tickets were limited, it was held at school or nearby, and everyone survived.

Most elderly would be fine watching the ceremony streamed from a more comfortable location anyhow, and these days we have the technology to stream each and every high school graduation. There is no need to drag your 20 closest relatives and friends there.

Much better than trying to figure out how to get everyone to a far away (hour or so) drive or have to rent a giant SUV to fit all the elderly relatives in to make the trek to a giant stadium, where they will have issues getting to anyhow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have they started the process of selecting venues for 2025 graduation? How can we advocate for home field or another place within MoCo?

There are no other places in MoCo besides home field.

I tell you what you should do this year:
1. Find out when your child's high school graduation is this year
2. At the time of this year's graduation, drive down to the high school. Unfortunately, you won't be able to practice what parking would be like on graduation day if the event were held at the school.
3. Starting at the time of graduation, sit in the bleacher for 2 hours
4. Invite grandparents to join you. Have them sit in the bleachers with you for those two hours
5. Or maybe skip that part since you may not get enough tickets to invite grandparents
6. If it rains during that time, take a guess as to when the make up graduation would be and repeat the same test

After doing this, you can really make the informed decision of whether you want to vote to have next year's graduation on home field or not.

Every single thing you cite is something my whole family did in the 1980s. It was fine. Graduation tickets were limited, it was held at school or nearby, and everyone survived.

Most elderly would be fine watching the ceremony streamed from a more comfortable location anyhow, and these days we have the technology to stream each and every high school graduation. There is no need to drag your 20 closest relatives and friends there.

Much better than trying to figure out how to get everyone to a far away (hour or so) drive or have to rent a giant SUV to fit all the elderly relatives in to make the trek to a giant stadium, where they will have issues getting to anyhow.

So true! Most people are going to be bored by 95% of the ceremony.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is 2 hours out of your life and you don’t want to be bothered? This is a milestone event and there will never be a do over.

there will be a college graduation, and some kids just hate it. MY DD friend skip graduation because she just didn't care.. Her parents were heartbroken, but there not much that can be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ghettomore……

Is that all you really think of when you hear Baltimore?

He kinda has a point though.

UMBC is in the suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ghettomore……

Is that all you really think of when you hear Baltimore?

He kinda has a point though.

UMBC is in the suburbs.

Small minded MoCo parents wouldn't know that, PP.

[Anonymous]

This thread is so full of whiners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ghettomore……

Is that all you really think of when you hear Baltimore?

He kinda has a point though.

UMBC is in the suburbs.

Those neighborhood surrounding the campus don't look any neat.

It’s better than some other ones in Baltimore at least, it’s not too dangerous around the UMBC campus either, I assume people just say that because it’s part of Baltimore.

It's Baltimore County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ghettomore……

Is that all you really think of when you hear Baltimore?

He kinda has a point though.

UMBC is in the suburbs.

Those neighborhood surrounding the campus don't look any neat.

It’s better than some other ones in Baltimore at least, it’s not too dangerous around the UMBC campus either, I assume people just say that because it’s part of Baltimore.

It's Baltimore County.

What happens to parents who don't have cars? at least with DAR or the Comcast center you can take the Ride-on or Metro

[Anonymous]

I agree with you OP. But, think about this. Your kid only graduates from high school once in a lifetime. Just finish it out with the ceremony so there won't be any regrets.