Why is he being so insistent on his girlfriend’s attendance? 

Graduations can be hit or miss. There’s something beautiful about the end of an era being marked by a big celebration where you don a funny hat. It gives a sense of completion to all of the years you spent slaving away on your degree.

My graduations were hit and miss. I liked my high school one a lot better than my college one, probably because I was much more excited about finishing high school than about college. It felt like my entire family was in town to celebrate, I got to sing the alma mater with the choir, and the sky was a stunning pink the night of graduation. At my college graduation, I was one of tens of thousands of students getting my degree. It was as hot as a leather car seat on a summer day, and the speaker was so mediocre. While these weren’t the best days of my life by any means, I’m glad I attended. 

Would you skip your college graduation because an unwanted person was in attendance? If you haven’t spoken to your mom in 10 years and she suddenly decides she wants to show up at your college graduation, I’d understand if you didn’t want to attend. Why should she get the satisfaction of feeling pride for you when she hasn’t supported your pursuit of education at all? 

The graduate in this story is not about to allow her dad’s girlfriend to get the satisfaction of watching her graduation ceremony.