Commencement regalia is ugly and stupid

In 2 days, I will finish my last day of work at Pitzer, hop in my car, and begin my trek across the country.  Naturally, it is therefore important that I stop to reflect on something (insetad of packing and being productive).  Something contraversial that you've all been waiting for me to address.

The topic: commencement regalia.
My opinion: it's stupid.

Tonight while packing, I took every single item out of my closet except for my master's graduation gown, hood, and cap.  In effort to not be a hoarder, I debated throwing it out or donating it.  But it's hard to get rid of a probably... $150 purchase, despite the fact that it's not flattering. On anyone. Ever.  The proof is below.  I look like a fool.  I'd look MORE foolish if I didn't take this picture on a 5.1 megapixel camera I bought for $29.99 at Target.

First I must say that I LOVE graduation ceremonies.  I love them.  It makes no sense.  I'm not a ceremonial type of person, I don't generally like any other type of ceremonies, and it's rather illogical that the one that's my favorite involves everyone dressing like they're in some sort of Harry Potter wannabe ugly-hat cult.  But I still love them.

Yet, here I am, with $150 worth of commencement regalia, quite possibly on the cheap side of Master's ceremony graduation garb, and I'm pissed off that I have absolutely no use for it, but can't bear to part with it because of the amount of money I spent on it.   Any Ohio State HESA grads of the class of 2011 remember the hostile string of reply-all email debates between faculty and graduate school staff as to whether we should wear white or blue hoods to graduation?  Does it matter now?  No, because you still got your degree.  And whichever color hood you bought, you looked like a dumbass at graduation. 

So, I've decided graduates should be able to wear whatever they want to graduation ceremonies from now on.  Making people buy expensive ugly commencement costumes may have some sort of traditional.symbolic significance I didn't bother to look up before forming my opinion, but whatever it is, I bet it's a classist expression of how important educated folk think we are in society (the more special you are with the higher degree you have, the uglier, more expensive costume you get to buy).

On a commencement related note, watch this commencement speech.  Because it is the best graduation speech ever.