Julie in CA Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 My ds graduated from Simpson University today with his bachelor's degree. Simpson is a small Christian liberal arts University. The ceremony was outside. The weather was beautiful and breezy, the graduates were dignified and hopeful, and the crowd around us in the seats was AWFUL! The man behind me talked through the whole ceremony, including during the prayer. His topic of choice? His hot tub, his hangover, and where he passed out last night. The woman next to us had a noisy baby, and the entire family talked nonstop in loud voices through the whole ceremony, including the part where the mother changed the baby's diaper on her lap during the president's address. :confused: Then there were the people who assumed that since the venue was outdoors, that their children could run and play tag behind the last row. We were outside and it would have been easy for these people to leave if they found they weren't really interested in being there after all, so WHY?? I heard nothing of the speeches & addresses, not because I was distracted, but because it was literally so noisy that the speakers were drowned out. :sad: There really wasn't anywhere else to move, because a friend mentioned that the noise on the opposite side where she was sitting was equally as disturbing. Ok....ok....vent over. :chillpill: On the bright side, the picture is of my boy and his sweetie. I'm so proud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineJ Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Congratulations to your son! :party: Sorry that those around you were so rude. That is especially strange about the man discussing his hangover......Huh?! :confused: Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 So Awesome!!! Happy for all of you... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Awww, congratulations!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Congratulations! We attended a music recital last night and I could have written a similar post about noisy audiences. It was terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 It only takes a small percentage of people being rude to ruin things for everyone else. I have never been to a graduation where the audience wasn't obnoxious. Btw Congrads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Congratulations! It seems that outdoor ceremonies lend themselves to people acting more casual/noisy/borderline obnoxious. It's like they can't contain themselves, they need four walls and a roof to signal to them to act appropriately! I even find myself acting that way outdoors, though, so I sorta understand. The kids running around in the back wouldn't bother me, except I bet they were loud, too. Sorry it was so frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Congratulations! :party: Wasn't it just the other day he was deciding to go to this school? :D Sorry about the disturbance during graduation. How was the party? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerPoppy Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Ahhh, one of my favourite soap-boxes! I totally agree! I have no idea what has happened to audience etiquette, but I find it sorely lacking in many venues. I haven't run into any trouble at symphonies or professional musicals, but in other places? Yeesh. A couple of years ago, I attended a public school field trip with my dd's grade 3 class. We went to see a well-known Canadian children's singer (Fred Penner) in a large theatre. Well, not only did those kids have no idea how to behave at a concert, they were barely listening and had to make comments about being "bored". At the ends of songs, perhaps a third to half of the kids clapped. (I find that so rude!) Then, at the end (and this happens ALL the time in all kinds of shows) people started putting on their coats and gathering up their stuff so they could hightail it out at the last note, instead of going through the normal clapping for each performer and all the bows. I can't stand it! I remember one of my dd's school concerts, and there were *adults* in the audience chatting away while the kids performed. It was especially obnoxious during a small group playing a few recorder songs... so noticeable that I think even the performers were aware. I would imagine it hurt their feelings after all their hard work. Anyway, yes... yes... yes... :iagree:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Yep. I posted something similar last year after our high school graduation ceremony where during the prayer some guy's cell phone not only rang but HE ANSWERED IT and proceeded to have a loud conversation through the whole prayer. RUDE Congrats to your dh!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Ill mannered, self-centered, and hey, isn't everything I see really just on TV? The TV never complains when I talk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 Wasn't it just the other day he was deciding to go to this school? Feels like it, huh? :001_smile: Because he'd earned lots of credits at the community college, and sought out summer classes at the public university, he was able to graduate a bit early, at 20 years old. Going to the private university did turn out to be the right move for him, and I'm glad I supported him in doing so. In the end, he was 1/100th away from honors status, and I'm happy with that. He's ending up with about $13,000 of debt, which I think he can live with, and the experience and academic quality were worth every bit of angst that we put into that decision. Yes, it does feel like just yesterday we were trying to make that decision. :D ETA: How on earth did you remember that? I can barely remember my own name some days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Oh wow! He's graduating with a bachelor's, at age 20, with only $13,000 debt? Good for HIM! And way to go MOM! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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