Home Schooling and High School Graduation

<p>I have been home schooled for the past 2 years, and my graduation is coming up soon. I have the choice to go if I want to, but I am not really sure about what I am going to do. I have really only kept in touch with two of my friends, but I have not really hung out with them that much since I have been home schooled. Besides them I have only seen some other classmates and they always make a big deal about seeing me. It is just going to be very awkward to go the graduation. I don't really mind the attention, I just don't know if I want to be bothered. </p>

<p>My main concern is that I am going to regret not going later on. But going to my graduation will not feel like the ending of high school because I haven't been there in 2 years. I will not even feel like I have accomplished anything. I feel going to my college graduation is a much larger achievement and something I do plan on going to. I just want to know what anyone else thinks, and if they did not attend their graduation and regretted it later on. Thanks.</p>

<p>Hi Kmf726--</p>

<p>Why don't you have a graduation of your own? We have 10 graduates this year in our homeschool group. Some graduated at our state homeschool organization's graduation at conference. (We went yesterday-- 160+ kids graduated, it was awesome - each student met their parents on stage and the parents presented the diploma -- very cool!). Some kids will graduate at our homeschool group's graduation ceremony in June. Others chose to host one of their own. We went to one a few weeks ago. The young lady and her parents did a slideshow of her life, she had a display table of her projects. The parents spoke about the homeschool experience and many folks in the audience stood up to give advice and describe memories of the graduate. The parents gave her the diploma and then we had an elegant reception. Very, very wonderful.</p>

<p>You deserve a graduation of your own, then you can visit your old friends' graduation, too.</p>

<p>I didn't go to my high school graduation and have never regretted it. It just wasn't me... if you know what I mean. I didn't like high school, for one thing, and I just wanted to be done with it. I finished all the classes I needed to graduate by the end of first semester of my senior year, so I wasn't on campus at all for the second semester. I just didn't feel like going back there after having finally gotten out a few months earlier. I just asked them to mail my diploma, which they did. Never for an instant have I wished I'd gone.</p>

<p>My kids are homeschooled, and both are graduating this June. I haven't decided what we'll do for that. I have designed nice diplomas for them (but bought the covers), and we'll have a small gift for each. I have seen other homeschoolers do everything from a casual party with a few friends, to a full-blown ceremony with caps & gowns, commencement speakers, bagpipers and the whole shebang. My kids tend more toward the low key and casual, so we'll figure out something nice for them.</p>

<p>They both are going just as audience members to the local high school's graduation though to see their friends finish.</p>