NationStates Jolt Archive

So I graduate, or something, in a few hours, and then after that whole yadda yadda blah blah blah thing, it comes time to do that whole "Yippee! Let's throw our end table hat things into the air!"

.. why do people do that, and did you do it?

I don't see the appeal.

One must ask the logic of throwing a bunch of flat pointy-edged things directly over your heads to show how smart you are.

Could throw it at people.

I threw it to symbolize the end of far too much time spent in an abyss of stupidity and drama.

And now it's sitting on a shelf.

We threw ours just because our principal made a point of telling us not to. It was a final act of rebellion towards the man.

True, they are not terribly functional as Frisbees, but they are even less functional as decorative head-coverings.

One must ask the logic of throwing a bunch of flat pointy-edged things directly over your heads to show how smart you are.

Reminds me of that episode of the simpsons, where the WW1 germans threw their helmets in the air.

The goal is to hit birds overhead and get 'em to poop at your seatmate.

So I graduate, or something, in a few hours, and then after that whole yadda yadda blah blah blah thing, it comes time to do that whole "Yippee! Let's throw our end table hat things into the air!"

.. why do people do that, and did you do it?

I don't see the appeal.



I graduated last night, and I didn't throw my hat. Partially because I didn't want to lose it, and partially because I had the same questions you do. Why do we throw them..?

Furthermore, I've also wondered who exactly decided that graduates should wear such a silly contraption on their heads...


We threw ours just because our principal made a point of telling us not to. It was a final act of rebellion towards the man.


Our principal didn't tell us not to throw them... else I'd have done just that. ;] He did, however, tell us not to "cheer excessively" during the ceremony.


Of course, we cheered our throats raw. :D

Nothing like the preparation for the real world: the sudden prospect of pointy things looming over your head. At the most inopportune times.

So I graduate, or something, in a few hours, and then after that whole yadda yadda blah blah blah thing, it comes time to do that whole "Yippee! Let's throw our end table hat things into the air!"

.. why do people do that, and did you do it?

I don't see the appeal.

didn't throw mine. the wind blew it off.


really...


honest.


that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I whinged mine like a motherfucker. I was too young to spray champaign so I went with what I had.

I recommend honing the tips and edges to a razorlike sharpness first.

I recommend honing the tips and edges to a razorlike sharpness first. or sticking straightened paper clips into the corners...

Never did no such thing...

But good luck on the graduating Ruffy!! :D :fluffle:

It's all about letting go and getting jiggy


I didn't do it either - I wanted to keep my cap for some stupid reason.

We don't do that here.:eek:

Here we chose a song and dance to it on stage. Don't ask me why lol. I find it really corny.

We weren't allowed to because the year before I graduated some dumbass looked up and caught the corner of one in the eye and is blinded in his left eye now.

He sued the school for a bunch of money.

Not that I got to go to commencement anyway, I was suspended at the time.

From what I could find on the internet in 30 seconds...

It is believed that the tradition of the graduation cap-toss began at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1912.

It was the first year when seamen being commissioned as officers were given their officers’ hats.

They had been midshipmen up until that point. They no longer needed the midshipmen’s caps, so they tossed them into the air.

One wonders why a new grad couldn't do the same thing?

.. why do people do that,
Because they're told not to as being hit on the head with a stiff square bit of wood would hurt.

and did you do it? No. I wanted to keep mine.

I don't see the appeal.
Me either.

Because they're told not to as being hit on the head with a stiff square bit of wood would hurt.

No. I wanted to keep mine.


Me either.

But don't they all look alike? It's not like you're ever going to re-use the thing. Last time i wore a mortarboard was for my undergrad graduation and I tossed the thing as far as I could. I took the tassle off, but then I just picked up the first one I found on the ground.

It's fun and it looks cool. Don't get hit in the eye.

We don't do that here.:eek:

Here we chose a song and dance to it on stage. Don't ask me why lol. I find it really corny.

It sounds like you should. That just sounds too much like a made-for-tv movie ending.

But don't they all look alike?...but then I just picked up the first one I found on the ground.

Yes, but I'd prefer mine, and not one that is potentially cootie-ridden.

I graduated last night, and I didn't throw my hat. Partially because I didn't want to lose it, and partially because I had the same questions you do. Why do we throw them..?

Furthermore, I've also wondered who exactly decided that graduates should wear such a silly contraption on their heads...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortarboard

I didn't throw mine.

Yes, but I'd prefer mine, and not one that is potentially cootie-ridden.

I don't know why that would be a problem, it's not like you're going to wear the thing again.

We don't do that here.:eek:

Here we chose a song and dance to it on stage. Don't ask me why lol. I find it really corny.
we do... er... did that and the cap tos... er... wind blowing our caps off. :D

But don't they all look alike? It's not like you're ever going to re-use the thing. Last time i wore a mortarboard was for my undergrad graduation and I tossed the thing as far as I could. I took the tassle off, but then I just picked up the first one I found on the ground.
sizes are different, and I've worn my graduation gown and morterboard for halloween.

you need a reason to do stupid things?

I always thought this was some sort of myth put forward by TV I have never seen it happen in real life :confused:

Eh, I threw mine up because we were supposed to, and I probably would have gotten bitched out by the photographers present if I hadn't, but I only tossed it about three feet in the air and caught it, since I kinda wanted to keep it. Plus, we were outside and my hat was white, so I sorta thought it would be a shame to let it hit the ground and get all muddied up.

Eh, I threw mine up because we were supposed to, and I probably would have gotten bitched out by the photographers present if I hadn't, but I only tossed it about three feet in the air and caught it, since I kinda wanted to keep it. Plus, we were outside and my hat was white, so I sorta thought it would be a shame to let it hit the ground and get all muddied up.

Yeah, that's what you have to do, make sure you throw yours straight up so you can catch it. Or write your initials on it so you can find it after.

I kept mine because I saw no point in throwing it into the air.

It is just sort of traditional celebration.
the Dallas school district had banned throwing out hats due to it being a safety issue. However our principle told us it was a tradition and if we wanted to do it then do, just don't look up.

We also got together put our names on the inside of our hat and had a system to get them returned to each other.
worked out well no one lost and eye and we all got our hats back at the end of the ceremony. Given only a class of 54 people.

As the name suggests, mortarboards were originally meant to hold mortar. One guy would wear the hat, and another bricklayer would stand on a ladder directly above, scooping mortar when he needed it. Usually, the person with the hat was the apprentice bricklayer, as he couldn't actually lay bricks until he finished his training. After he finished the training, the ex-apprentice could finally throw his the symbol of his indenture, the mortarboard, away. That is why graduates, even if they are not graduating into the bricklayer guild, throw their hats.
In case you couldn't guess, I just made that whole thing up. Still, it's a pretty good story, if I do say so myself.

So I did participate in the throwingness after all.

It was like slow motion, and all of a sudden I looked up at all the caps and thought "Holy shit, this is it."

T'was nice. :)

And oh my god, I got so much money today, and this is only the start of it!

I kept mine because I saw no point in throwing it into the air.

I got mine back. *nods*