A Thought on Graduation

My dad asked me today why I don't graduate after the end of junior year if I have enough credits. I explained to him the whole "three majors with a minor" thing and he still didn't seem to get it. Whatever. My parents said I could go anywhere and promised to pay for undergraduate. So I'm staying for the whole four years, goshdarnit.

But, despite my inner family financial angst, the talk made me think about graduation.

Sometimes I think about how I'm going to graduate in a purple robe and I die a little inside. Sometimes I remember graduating in a red flimsy gown of cheapness and I cringe. Here's a little dedication to the graduation attire of our favorite teen shows.

All graduations are high school unless noted.

Also, I've cataloged where their tassels are in respect to their status as graduates, since we all know there's no consensus on that little detail.

Red

Felicity (High School)

To pull a Topanga or not pull a Topanga...that it the question.
Graduated: Left

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer

I remember Buffy's diploma being a little more scorched
in canon. Love Willow's shoes.
Graduated: Left

Roswell

I didn't watch this show. I probably should at some point
since it's right up my alley (romantic angst + aliens). But I
remembered that their robes were red and they were!
Graduated: Right

Smallville

Chloe: Where's Lana?
Clark: Probably hiding in Lex's mansion after killing her boyfriend's mom.
Chloe: At least she won't outshine me in the graduation photos.
Not Graduated: Left

Blue

Dawson's Creek

Katie! Before she popped out her dress-like-me Barbie.
Not Graduated: Left

Felicity (College)

Oh, Felicity. With the rarely-seen college graduation.

Graduated: Left (Good in-show continuity!)

One Tree Hill

And then Haley has her baby! NALEY 4-EVA.
Not Graduated/Graduated: Right (They didn't move their tassels.)

Black

Gilmore Girls (High School)

Chilton's colors were blue and white, but they're classy
and college-prep, so they have cool black robes.
Not Graduated: Left

Gilmore Girls (College)
Wow. I guess despite where I left off with Rory as a petty
criminal living in her grandparents' boathouse,
she did manage to graduate.
Graduated: Left (BAD in-show continuity!)

Green

Veronica Mars

Oh, my sassy little detective. Our only grad in green.
Graduated: Left

Random Crap

The O.C.

If I were forced to wear a lei to my graduation...there would
be blood. Notable also for the different colors for each gender.
Not Graduated: Right

Really just makes you think if they bought some of these robes in bulk and handed them off to multiple shows, especially the red. Although it's interesting to see how their graduation bling differs, with medals and stoles, etc. At my school, you could have an NHS tassel or a Maine Scholar stole and that was it. How rocking would it be to have a fricking medal?

Also, this study further proves how ridiculous the whole tassel thing is and how no one can get it right.

According to the Academic Costume Code and Ceremony Guide, there is no regulation on how to wear your tassel. However, they also state that typically, the tassel is worn to the right until the degree is received; then the tassel is switched to the left. Some say it started for ceremonial reasons; another, more practical reason for it being on the right is because the tassel won't be in front of the graduate's face during photos (as graduates usually cross the stage from house right to house left). That means every one of our graduates is a-okay, even the self-contradicting Gilmore Girls, since it can be assumed that Chilton and Yale have different tassel procedures (but why Chilton would purposefully differ from the Ivies is a far more pertinent question).

So...what color do you want to wear?