NationStates Jolt Archive

Like most people I have a number of certificates for A Levels, diplomas and various other courses I've been on. Most are fairly boring - a list of subjects and maybe a crest/logo.

I recently attended a cat behaviour course and the certificate I got has a picture of a tabby kitten on it. It is easily the prettiest certificate I've got.

Before this the prettiest was one from the association of electrical wholesalers - a completely useless qualification but a nice piece of paper.

I have a hypothesis that the more important / useful the certificate the plainer it is.

Who else has got 'pretty' certificates and what are they for?

Does my hypothesis hold up?

Prettiest certificate has a picture of a gorgeous redrock cliff. Its my certiffication as a climbing/repelling instructor. Outdoors is a passion second only to music for me.

As for looks, my prettiest certificate is my "maturità" (final exam of the lyceum). Sort of XIV-century-style.

As for the meaning, the coolest certificate I've got is the "Diploma dello Stelvio". It's for those who ride a bike up to the Passo dello Stelvio/Stilfserjoch, between Lombardy and Südtirol.

my Ki-Ora (sp?) swimming certificates from when i was a kid :D

they're super-colourful :)

The prettiest that I have is a certificate of appreciation from the town I live in for my three years of teaching English. Most Japanese certificates look impressive though.

My swimming down Finnish rapids certificate! It came in a frame and everything. Had a picture of me in my arctic immersion suit sat on a rock in the middle of the river on it too. Oh happy days :D

My GCSE certificates have a circle that changes colour when you put it under the grill.

I have a certificate from my husband's 10 year high school reunion for being the youngest wife, and also one for having the youngest child (well, I guess that one is actually his). They are both pretty.

My GCSE certificates have a circle that changes colour when you put it under the grill.Most certificates will change colour when you put them under a grill. It's called combustion.

My University diploma. It came in it's own acrylic tube and with a fancy medal.

The certificate of authenticity that came with me.

We're not big on diplomas here, so I actually have no Swedish ones. I will have one when I finish uni, but it won't be all that fancy I imagine. I do however have a Cambridge English Certificate Diploma that looks like this:

http://www.wsi.ch/images/cert_cambridge.gif

It's not exactly pretty.

I've got one with pictures symbolising the 4 seasons on it claiming that I'm "Mr. Beers"

Most certificates will change colour when you put them under a grill. It's called combustion.

It's called thermochromism actually. Provided I don't roast it.

My SCUBA diving certificate is pretty snazzy I suppose. None of the really useful ones ever are though

It's called thermochromism actually. Provided I don't roast it.*sigh* Sometimes people aren't always entirely serious.

*sigh* Sometimes people aren't always entirely serious.

Yes. They're not always serious are they?

My prettiest fits your hypothesis: an Award of Arms from the Society for Creative Anachronism...

The certificate I got when I finished Governor's School (advanced on-university-campus high school summer school) has a color picture of an Erlenmeyer flask on it.
I'm not sure whether that should be a bragging point or not.

My prettiest fits your hypothesis: an Award of Arms from the Society for Creative Anachronism...

I am completely in awe (and a little jealous). Completely. You rock.

Like most people I have a number of certificates for A Levels, diplomas and various other courses I've been on. Most are fairly boring - a list of subjects and maybe a crest/logo.

I recently attended a cat behaviour course and the certificate I got has a picture of a tabby kitten on it. It is easily the prettiest certificate I've got.

Before this the prettiest was one from the association of electrical wholesalers - a completely useless qualification but a nice piece of paper.

I have a hypothesis that the more important / useful the certificate the plainer it is.

Who else has got 'pretty' certificates and what are they for?

Does my hypothesis hold up?

My certificate for winning the school Geo Bee in 4th grade.

None of my certificates are exceptionally pretty. All of my military awards and certificates look the same and are quite boring. Probably the "prettiest" one I have is my Diplôme de Langue et de Culture Françaises from the Université Catholique de l'Ouest, mainly because it's in French.

I am completely in awe (and a little jealous). Completely. You rock.

Don't be. it's a simple AoA, merely just for having been around for a while. It's not like it was an Order of Chivalry...

The Award of Arms: "AoA".

The most common award given is the bare Award of Arms. It is generally the first award that people receive in the SCA, and can be given for recognition of service, promise in the Arts, Sciences, Fighting, or Archery. The AoA is widely considered to indicate that the individual is involved and active enough in the SCA to be a real asset to the Society, rather than just someone who occasionally shows up at meetings or fighting practice. Receiving an AoA means that the individual is now a Lord or Lady, and should be addressed as such.
http://calontir.sca.org/herald/award-intro.html

(Mine was special in that it was awarded at one of the first courts held by Queen Rowan Beatrice von Kampfer of Ansteorra, still the only SCA queen by her own right. Vivat Rowan!)

I don't think I have any pretty certificates. My degree certificate is pretty crap, if that counts. :p

Don't be. it's a simple AoA, merely just for having been around for a while. It's not like it was an Order of Chivalry...


http://calontir.sca.org/herald/award-intro.html

(Mine was special in that it was awarded at one of the first courts held by Queen Rowan Beatrice von Kampfer of Ansteorra, still the only SCA queen by her own right. Vivat Rowan!)

Oh damn I didn't think I'd meet anouther SCAdian on the interwebz, hell even one from calontir, I'm in calontir. dayum, be weird if you went to the same barony I mean what are the chances? Anyway I did however get a pretty neat looking certificate from the United States Acheivement Academy.