Graduation Shoes

As often as I have been eligible to walk at graduation, I have only walked 3 times.  My first was my eighth-grade graduation and I have no pictures of this day.  I passed on my high school graduation as I dropped out my senior year and transferred into an adult program where I did not know anyone. There was too much drama in my life when I earned my two associate degrees and again passed on the opportunity.  The stars did not align for me to attend my graduation for my bachelor’s degree either.  After earning my bachelor’s degree I started adjunct teaching, while working at the college as a staff member allows me to attend the yearly graduation ceremony, it was not until I began teaching that I felt the need to attend. It was great to see my students walk across the stage, and I realized how important this milestone is.  When I completed my master’s degree, we were going to my graduation. I am glad we made the trip to Mississippi, it was so worth it.  The only regret was the youngest was too little to sit through such an event and she stayed home with relatives.  My doctorate I was determined to have all the girls there.  Over the years decorating graduation caps became a thing, some very plain while others are much more elaborate.  The downside of this for faculty is that we cannot see the caps while we sit and watch the students cross the stage, what we notice are the shoes.  Our graduation is usually outside in a field and faculty have seen many a pretty heel eaten by the turf.  Some graduates opt for comfort and wear flip-flops, we have seen all kinds of footwear over the years.  As my graduation date came closer, I found out doctoral candidates do not wear the traditional graduation cap but rather a floppy sort of hat, not conducive to decorating.  There were also the logistics, my graduation would be in Maine, and I would not have the time to decorate the cap.  My solution, graduation shoes!  Coming out of writing my dissertation and the fear of plagiarism, I reached out to the school about my idea and permission to use logos.  Once that was granted I set to work.  School colors, my new title, and a few rhinestones later, graduation shoes were born. 

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A few months later my sister in law was graduating with her masters degree and asked that I attend her graduation.  What gift could be better than graduation shoes?  I reached out to her school for permission and set to work.  She loved the shoes! 

As my middle daughter’s high school graduation approached she asked when I was making her shoes!  How could I tell her no, after all this is a tradition I have started.  Some mod podge, printed logos, and rhinestones, and another pair were ready for their walk. 

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I did not fully think this through and maybe should have set some ground rules as the youngest two could potentially wind up with 5 pairs of graduation shoes if they continue to the doctoral degree. The one rule we have is you only get tassels on the shoes at the doctoral level but I may need to consider just updating the shoes for each graduation. Adding the new graduation year and school logos reminiscent of a passport with all the added stamps.  Did you walk for graduation?  What is something memorable about the day? I would love to hear about it in the comments.