There are few moments more exciting than a graduation day.
A day where one celebrates all they’ve accomplished, in-spite of the inevitable ups and downs that come hand in hand with school.
But while graduating from any institution is any achievement to be celebrated, there are some who would argue a graduation is only worth celebrating depending on either what they were studying, or where they are graduating from.
Redditor smallemochick found herself in this rather sad situation, and was surprised by her family’s reaction following her graduation day.
Concerned that she may have been overreacting, the original poster (OP) took to the subReddit “Am I The A**hole” (AITA), where she asked fellow Redditors:
“AITA For Being Upset That My Family Didn’t Care That I Graduated?”
The OP first shared that while others might not find her graduation to be that remarkable, it was a notable accomplishment for her, as she faced several hurdles along the way.
“So I (21 F[emale]) graduated from community college yesterday.”
“I’m proud of myself because I struggled greatly with it due to mental health issues as well as my ADHD.”
“It took me a little longer than community college probably should, but I finished it finally and that’s what matters.”
She also shared that she wasn’t the only member of her family who graduated around the same time, and noticed her family seemed to be celebrating their graduation more than her own.
“I also have a few cousins around my age. (22 F twins, and another 22 F) that also graduated this weekend, but they went to bigger universities.”
“I woke up to a bunch of facebook posts by my family congratulating all of them and saying how proud they were of all of them for graduating.”
“Of course I’m proud of them as well, I sent my congratulations to each of them individually.”
“I however didn’t get anything of the sorts, even though my family knew that I would be graduating as well, and it honestly hurt a bit.”
“My family doesn’t really view community college in the best light, so I’m sure that comes into play with everything.”
“But I still feel like it’s unfair that I didn’t get any acknowledgments.”
“I vented to my mom about it and she just called me dramatic for wanting all that attention, but I feel like it’s warranted at least a little bit.”
“So, AITA for being upset that I didn’t get any recognition for graduating even though my cousins did?”
“It’s most likely the difference in degrees, as my cousins got bachelors and i just got an associates.”
“I know getting bachelor degrees is more schooling and definitely more stressful, and I am super happy for all of them for being able to achieve that.”
“I know an associates is just bottom of the barrel when it comes to college lol.”
“I didn’t really expect anything super fancy or cool for just getting an associates, but nobody acknowledging it was just kinda eh.”
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation by declaring:
- NTA – Not the A**hole
- YTA – You’re the A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everybody Sucks Here
The Reddit community wholeheartedly agreed that the OP was not the a**hole, and had every right to feel a little hurt by the lack of celebration from her family.
Everyone agreed that the OP’s hard work and dedication should have been better acknowledged by her family.
“NTA.”
“We’re your family now, and we are so so proud of you!”
“Congrats!”- yikesonbikes2
“I wonder how she would feel if you didn’t wish her a happy birthday.”
“If she asks about it, just tell her to stop being so dramatic.”-MacTwistie.
“NTA.”
“You worked just as hard.”
“I’m proud of you!”
“Congrats!”
“Seriously, many professors work for both CCs and universities.”
“Much of the material is exactly the same.”
“There’s no reason to think that a CC is ‘less than’ for any reason.”
“It’s a more inexpensive way to graduate, yeah, and maybe they have more flexible time slots for classes but that’s about all.”- f*ck_you__shoresy.
“NTA.”
“Congrats on your graduation!”- Bookqueen42.
“NTA.”
“I am proud of you.”- ask.
“As someone who struggles with ADHD I know how you feel.”
“Like you really want to be as they are, you want to be able to study without constant distractions from your own brain.”
“You want to focus and stop fidgeting.”
“Yet no matter what, you just can’t help yourself.”
“Hell going for a glass of water when studying can be hell.”
“You go to kitchen once, come back, go to kitchen turn on the tap don’t get water close it go back realize wtf and finally get that glass of water.”
“I’m there with you friend and it’s not easy.”
“So instead of judgment let me drop you this.”
“CONGRATUTALTIONS OF GRADUATING.”
“YOU DID AND I’M PROUD OF YOU.”
“YOU’RE THE BEST!”-MonsterBugStudio.
“NTA.”
“Congratulations on your achievement!”
“Your family should be proud of you too.”
“Did your family know you were graduating?”
“Did your mom post it on Facebook?”
“Did you? “
“If not, do it.”
“Let your circle know that you graduated, and you are proud of yourself.”
“Slow and steady wins the race.”
“PS I, too, graduated from the community college when I was 20 or 21.”
“I was 24 when I graduated from my state university.”
“Years later, I went back to school and got my master’s last year.”
“I was 56.”
“I posted it on Facebook.”
“People I haven’t heard from in years told me they admired me for going back.”
“They thought they were too old.”
“Be proud of your accomplishments.”- General_Relative2838.
“NTA.”
“Any education is a great achievement! “
“Community college IS college.”
“You deserve to be recognized for your hard work.”
“Congrats!!!”-caleern.
“NTA.”
“Congratulations graduation buddy!”
“I also graduate community college this week.”- AnxiousAutistic20.
“NTA.”
“Congratulations!”
“You accomplished something really big and you deserve to celebrate that!”- AdelleDeWitt.
“NTA I’m in community College now.”
“I’m a student leader and it’s giving me a stipend plus a paying job.”
“I have a full time day job so by the time I graduate community College I’ll have $20,000 saved.”
“It’s asinine to pay for generals at a university.”
“Plus it’s a good stepping stone.”
“I’m a good student but by no means 4.0.”
“Community College will prepare you for university if you need the extra help with it.”
“Don’t be ashamed of it and don’t let your family look down on it.”
“Find out how much debt your siblings are in.”-Professional_Grab513.
“NTA.”
“How rude and insensitive of your family.”
“You were NOT being dramatic.”
“You were rightfully hurt.”
“For your mother to be so dismissive is beyond the pale.”
“Bottom line: move out as soon as you can, block them and no contact.”
“You do not need their negativity and lack of support in your life.”-patjames904.
“NTA, that was an important event in your life and it doesn’t matter how long it took you, graduating from college is an accomplishment.”
“You should be proud of yourself.”
“That is hurtful and wrong of them to disregard an accomplishment.”- kieranexcalibur.
“NTA”
“No matter where you went graduating is a huge accomplishment.”
“It isn’t dramatic or attention seeking to desire the same praise as your cousins for graduating.”-Chelular07.
“NTA at all.”
“If anything, they’re the a**holes for not appreciating how hard you worked to get your diploma.”
“It does hurt to have our accomplishments go unrecognized and unappreciated, but you did it for yourself and it will still benefit you and your future and that’s what matters.”
“I am proud of you!”
“Congrats.”-ggmorenomartinez.
“SAME!”
“I’m graduating from community college in a few weeks at 23, and it’s also taken me a little longer because of adhd.”
“Also, congratulations, this is a HUGE achievement.”
“F*ck your family & definitely NTA!!!”-Pandax18.
“NTA, and congrats on your accomplishment!”
“That is fantastic.”
“No offense, but your mom sounds like kinda a lousy mom.”
“Seriously, she should be celebrating you instead of the passive aggressive attack of calling you ‘dramatic’.”
“WTF.”- NorthImpossible8906.
“Same thing happened to my sister, only she graduated from a 4 year University with a Bachelors Degree.”
“She was the first in the family to do so.”
“We sent out announcements to the family but not one response.”
“At the graduation only my dad and I were there.”
“This happened decades ago and she still sore about it.”
“By the way you’re NTA.”
“Congratulations on graduating from college!”-JHGG2.
“Community college is so underrated.”
“It’s cheaper, and I heard it’s a good way to transfer to a larger university to get a degree if the person wishes.”
“Congrats!”- kavalejava.
A little acknowledgement can go a very long way.
It is indeed a shame that the OP’s family didn’t seem to realize that, not to mention all her hard work and dedication.
Seeing how the OP persevered to finish school, one doubts it will be too long until she makes her family proud again.
One can only hope that her family will notice.