Graduation party: The more extravagant, the more wasteful.

As the school year ends, social media is abuzz with stories about end-of-semester cultural events and celebrations, as well as graduation and appreciation ceremonies for graduating students. These are all excellent programs and meaningful activities. However, in many places, these events have been organized in an extravagant and ostentatious manner, focusing solely on appearances, causing them to lose their original meaning and resulting in waste.

A budget-friendly party for a 9th grade class in Thanh Xuan ward, Hanoi - Photo: HY

Recently, social media was abuzz with a projected budget for a 12th-grade students' graduation ceremony, highlighting expenses that could have been saved, such as hiring a DJ, photographers, and videographers. Similarly, public opinion has expressed disapproval of a farewell and appreciation ceremony for 9th-grade students in Hanoi, with extravagant spending on sound and lighting services, stage decoration, a "check-in" area, MCs, and photographers/videographers. An anonymous parent shared: “Traditionally, school performances are created and performed by teachers and students themselves. Hiring choreographers, DJs, and videographers, prioritizing grandeur, has inadvertently transformed school performances into a professional stage, making the graduation and appreciation ceremony resemble a flashy entertainment event, leading to unnecessary waste.”

In fact, graduation and farewell ceremonies for graduating students have only been held in recent years. Previously, these activities were usually only organized in international schools, private schools, and schools with relatively high family incomes. In recent years, this activity has become increasingly common in public schools. In many places, the farewell ceremony for graduating students is organized simply, warmly, and intimately within the school grounds. There are no lavish banquets or extravagant performances, no gifts of gratitude to teachers and the school with specific "valued" budgets; these ceremonies only include simple activities such as summarizing the past four years of schooling, recounting memorable moments, sharing words of advice and encouragement for students, and expressing gratitude from parents and students to teachers and the school. That alone is enough to create a touching and meaningful program.

Conversely, many schools opt for extravagant graduation ceremonies, renting large halls, designing dazzling stage lighting, setting up modern sound systems, and hosting expensive banquets at upscale restaurants. This leads to students rushing to get their hair and makeup done, dressing up like princesses for social media photos, resulting in significant costs for each student. Many parents express concern that in their children's final year of high school, tuition fees have already increased due to exam preparation, and the numerous additional expenses such as printing uniforms, outdoor graduation photo shoots, banquets at restaurants, and preparing evening gowns for the ceremony create an even greater financial burden for families with limited resources.

Although it's supposed to be a voluntary activity, its implementation can create invisible pressure on students and parents. "If we don't let our children participate, we fear they'll feel inferior and self-conscious compared to their friends, leading to sadness and regret, and negatively impacting their mental state before an important exam in their lives. But if we do let them participate, parents have to worry about the costs," said Mr. NTĐ.A from Cầu Giấy ward.

Disagreeing with the idea of ​​organizing an overly expensive graduation ceremony, Ms. PTH from Xuan Dinh ward shared: “For 12th graders, a graduation ceremony is acceptable, but for 9th graders, a simple, economical graduation or farewell ceremony is preferable to avoid waste. Most of these activities aren't really necessary; the more extravagant and ostentatious the event, the more wasteful it becomes.” Furthermore, according to Ms. H, as the final year of high school nears its end, an overly elaborate celebration could distract students from their studies. Instead of listening to the advice from teachers, parents, and friends, and focusing on genuine emotions, many students spend too much time planning and preparing for the party, only concentrating on taking photos and posting them on social media to get the most likes. The excitement and anticipation surrounding the event, as well as the lingering effects of the ceremony, can negatively impact the children, especially with important exams approaching.

To preserve beautiful memories of school years and contribute to education about gratitude, the meaning of learning, and the importance of teacher-student relationships and friendships, each school should organize a warm, simple, and intimate farewell ceremony specifically for graduating students. The core value of a graduation ceremony or farewell party for students lies not in extravagant expenses but in bringing genuine emotions to the participants. Let's not turn these beautiful activities for the school years into a ostentatious, wasteful, and financially burdensome competition.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/le-chia-tay-cuoi-cap-cang-hao-nhoang-cang-lang-phi-976112.html