Unique Ways to Celebrate Graduation

Graduating from an online university or college can be surprisingly depressing. You’ve worked hard, done well in your classes, and have truly earned your degree. But, without the traditional cap-throwing, gown-wearing, sappy music-playing graduation ceremony, finishing coursework can sometimes feel anticlimactic. Don’t let that get you down. Many online graduates find their own way to celebrate. Viewing some unique graduation celebration ideas may inspire you to mark the occasion in a special way. Throw Your Own Ceremony or Party Even if you can’t attend a traditional graduation ceremony, host your own. Choose a theme, send out invitations, and celebrate your accomplishments with your best friends. Display your diploma on the wall to mark this important milestone and show interested guests. Spend the evening with upbeat music, good food, and interesting conversation, letting those closest to you know that you did, indeed, graduate, and you are in the mood to celebrate. Take a Trip Chances are that you’ve put off some of your vacationing desires to finish your educational commitments. Now that youve completed your online studies, youre not bound by a scheduled graduation ceremony. Since you’re finished with school, take some time to do what you’ve always wanted. Whether it’s a cruise of the world, a vacation to Maui, Hawaii, or a weekend at a local bed and breakfast, you deserve it. Theres no better way to celebrate your graduation than lying on a beautiful beach or enjoying breakfast in bed in a cottage nestled in the woods. Splurge on a Career-Related Activity While you were busy studying, you may have passed up going to an amazing business conference, skipped becoming a member of an elite art museum, or forgone subscribing to a career journal because you needed to spend your money and devote your time to your schooling. If so, now is your chance to celebrate by ordering tickets, planning your trip, or signing up. Not only will you enjoy it, but it may provide unexpected opportunities to progress in your field of work. Renovate Your Study Since you’ve finished with the late nights on the computer and removed the â€Å"Stay Out† signs from your door, take the opportunity to redecorate the room (or corner) you’ve used to study. If you have a large space, consider turning it into a parlor for entertaining, home theater, game room, or home spa. Or, if you made your homework habitat in a little corner of the house, redecorate it with artwork, famous quotes, or posters to inspire you in your career. Give Back   You’ve had amazing opportunities, and your new degree promises to bring even more chances for exciting experiences. Find a way to give back to your community. Think about volunteering at a local school, dishing out at a soup kitchen, tutoring students at the library, or reading at a neighborhood senior center. Sponsor an orphan in the U.S. or in a foreign country or become a member of a civil rights group. Whatever you choose, giving back is sure to offer real personal satisfaction to add to your hard-earned degree.

An Analysis Of An Arctic Idol - 1378 Words

An Arctic Idol From mutants to aliens, superhumans and demigods, the idea of a hero has been an immense subject throughout our culture. The superficial idea that heroes have some other quality that ranks them beyond human is reflected the most in movies and comics. What is the first thing that popped into your head when you heard the word hero—Superman? Ironman? Batman? The term shouldn’t be restricted to Marvel’s DC Universe characters. How we use the word hero should extend to everyday people like ourselves. Whilst you may describe a hero by doing something heroic, that doesn’t limit its use to god-like entities with superpowers. Although, people shouldn’t go branding everyone with a smiling face a hero. A hero isn’t the same as a†¦show more content†¦Even though the definition of hero has changed drastically over the years, characters in The Odyssey, an epic that describes the journey of Odysseus trying to return to his home, Troy, exhibit t raits that can apply to both the ancient and modern definition of a hero. The main character, Odysseus, isn’t the only one. For example, after being stuck on an island due to a storm, Odysseus and his crew are faced with the decision to either starve, or kill the sun god’s (Helios) cattle. One of Odysseus’ first mates, Eurylochus, was thinking about how that would affect the entire crew. He weighed the pros and cons, then stated: â€Å"Comrades,’ he said, ‘All deaths are hateful to us, mortal wretches, but famine is the most pitiful, the worst end that a man can come to. Will you fight it?†(Homer 879-83). Eurylochus then decided that they would eat the cattle and suffer the consequences. The quote shows that Eurylochus was thinking about his crew, and was deciding on the best possible course of action for him and his men. He decided that him and his comrades would rather die from the gods than to suffer through famine. His actions proved her oic—the first thing he thought of was how it would affect him and his crew. Then he put into action what he thought was best for his crew. Earlier in the story, he was challenged with a similar situation that Odysseus experienced. He was faced with two difficult decisions, stuck between a rock and a hard place, and thought out eachShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of An Arctic Idol 1436 Words   |  6 PagesAn Arctic Idol From mutants to aliens, superhumans and demigods, the idea of a hero has been an immense subject throughout our culture. Still, the superficial idea that heroes have some other quality that ranks them beyond human is reflected the most in movies and comics. What is the first thing that popped into your head when you heard the word hero—Superman? Ironman? Batman? The term shouldn’t be restricted to Marvel’s DC Universe characters. How we use the word hero should extend to everydayRead MoreRacism in Hockey3229 Words   |  13 Pages 2015). Despite the NHL’s commitment to diversity, racism continues to haunt the league with respect to external stakeholders such as broadcasters and fan engagement. To appreciate the context and scope of the issue, I will provide a detailed analysis of both media figures and fan discrimination from recent years. Media figures, including the iconic Don Cherry for years have been exceptionally critical of black players. In particular, P.K Subban has received excessive criticism for his on andRead MoreAnalysis of the Music Industry30024 Words   |  121 PagesAlthough radio is now peripheral to television in terms of media consumption, the fact remains that music dominates radio output, and the two are self-reliant. In television, music plays a lesser role, but the popularity of talent shows such as Pop Idol and The X Factor has served to raise the profile of music, if only at the level of `karaoke culture . According to original research conducted for this Key Note Market Review, nearly half the population say they enjoy singing and one in four are ableRead MorePepsi Global Marketing Strategy6949 Words   |  28 Pages and knowledge, the disadvantages of shared control might be an issue for the company, who likes more direct control of operations. It might also strengthen Nestle to be an up-and-coming competitor in the Chinese soft drinks market. Given my analysis, I would recommend that PepsiCo keep using the joint venture market entry method as their strategy. This has proven to work for them in the past for the most part, and it can be promising for the future. Export marketing, licensing, and contractRead MoreMarketing Principle Quiz20161 Words   |  81 PagesIndia have growing middle classes who are most likely to be new car buyers. As a result, Skoda is building production plants in each of the countries. | | | | | Selected Answer: |   d.   niche analysis | Correct Answer: |   a.   market opportunity analysis | Feedback: | A market opportunity analysis is the description and estimation of the size and sales potential of market segments that are of interest to the firm. | | | | |   Ã‚  Question 4 | 1 out of 1 points    | | Skoda is a carmakerRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslamentable. Taken together, the key themes and processes that have been selected as the focus for each of the eight essays provide a way to conceptualize the twentieth century as a coherent unit for teaching, as well as for written narrative and analysis. Though they do not exhaust the crucial strands of historical development that tie the century together—one could add, for example, nationalism and decolonization—they cover in depth the defining phenomena of that epoch, which, as the essays demonstrate

The Defensive Mechanisms in Ordinary People by Judith Guest Free Essays

Ordinary People by Judith Guest is the story of a dysfunctional family who relate to one another through a series of extensive defense mechanisms, i. e. an unconscious process whereby reality is distorted to reduce or prevent anxiety. We will write a custom essay sample on The Defensive Mechanisms in Ordinary People by Judith Guest or any similar topic only for you Order Now The book opens with seventeen year old Conrad, son of upper middle-class Beth and Calvin Jarrett, home after eight months in a psychiatric hospital, there because he had attempted suicide by slashing his wrists. His mother is a meticulously orderly person who, Jared, through projection, feels despises him. She does all the right things; attending to Jared’s physical needs, keeping a spotless home, plays golf and bridge with other women in her social circle, but, in her own words â€Å"is an emotional cripple†. Jared’s father, raised in an orphanage, seems anxious to please everyone, a commonplace reaction of individuals who, as children, experienced parental indifference or inconsistency. Though a successful tax attorney, he is jumpy around Conrad, and, according to his wife, drinks too many martinis. Conrad seems consumed with despair. A return to normalcy, school and home-life, appear to be more than Conrad can handle. Chalk-faced, hair-hacked Conrad seems bent on perpetuating the family myth that all is well in the world. His family, after all, â€Å"are people of good taste. They do not discuss a problem in the face of the problem. And, besides, there is no problem. † Yet, there is not one problem in this family but two – Conrad’s suicide and the death by drowning of Conrad’s older brother, Buck. Conrad eventually contacts a psychiatrist, Dr. Berger, because he feels the â€Å"air is full of flying glass† and wants to feel in control. Their initial sessions together frustrate the psychiatrist because of Conrad’s inability to express his feelings. Berger cajoles him into expressing his emotions by saying, â€Å"That’s what happens when you bury this junk, kiddo. It keeps resurfacing. Won’t leave you alone. † Conrad’s slow but steady journey towards healing seems partially the result of cathartic revelations which purge guilt feelings regarding his brother’s death and his family’s denial of that death, plus the â€Å"love of a good woman. Jeannine, who sings soprano to Conrad’s tenor†¦ † There is no doubt that Conrad is consumed with guilt, â€Å"the feeling one has when one acts contrary to a role he has assumed while interacting with a significant person in his life,† This guilt engenders in Conrad feelings of low self esteem. Survivors of horrible tragedies, such as the Holocaust, frequently express similar feelings of worthlessness. In his book, â€Å"Against All Odds†, William Helmreich relates how one survivor articulates a feeling of abandonment. â€Å"Did I abandon them, or did they abandon me? † Conrad expresses a similar thought in remembering the sequence of events when the sailboat they were on turned over. Buck soothes Conrad saying, â€Å"Okay, okay. They’ll be looking now, for sure, just hang on, don’t get tired, promise? In an imagined conversation with his dead brother, Conrad asks, â€Å"‘Man, why’d you let go? ‘ ‘Because I got tired. ‘ ‘The hell! You never get tired, not before me, you don’t! You tell me not to get tired, you tell me to hang on, and then you let go! ‘ ‘I couldn’t help it. Well, screw you, then! ‘† Conrad feels terrible anger with his brother, but cannot comfortably express that anger. His psychiatrist, after needling Conrad, asks, â€Å"Are you mad? When Conrad responds that he is not mad, the psychiatrist says, â€Å"Now that is a lie. You are mad as hell. † Conrad asserts that, â€Å"When you let yourself feel, all you feel is lousy. † When his psychiatrist questions him about his relationship with his mother, Calvin says, â€Å"My mother and I do not connect. Why should it bother me? My mother is a very private person. † This sort of response is called, in psychological literature, â€Å"rationalization†. We see Conrad’s anger and aggression is displaced, i. e. vented on another, as when he physically attacked a schoolmate. Yet, he also turns his anger on himself and expresses in extreme and dangerous depression and guilt. â€Å"Guilt is a normal emotion felt by most people, but among survivors it takes on special meaning. Most feel guilty about the death of loved ones whom they feel they could have, or should have, saved. Some feel guilty about situations in which they behaved selfishly (Conrad held on to the boat even after his brother let go), even if there was no other way to survive. In answer to a query from his psychiatrist on when he last got really mad, Conrad responds, â€Å"When it comes, there’s always too much of it. I don’t know how to handle it. † When Conrad is finally able to express his anger, Berger, the psychiatrist says to Calvin, â€Å"Razoring is anger; self-mutilation is anger. So this is a good sign; turning his anger outward at last. † Because his family, and especially his mother, frowns upon public displays of emotion, Conrad keeps his feelings bottled up, which further contributes to depression. Encyclopedia Britannica, in explicating the dynamics of depression states, â€Å"Upon close study, the attacks on the self are revealed to be unconscious expressions of disappointment and anger toward another person, or even a circumstance†¦ deflected from their real direction onto the self. The aggression, therefore, directed toward the outside world is turned against the self. † The article further asserts that, â€Å"There are three cardinal psychodynamic considerations in depression: (1) a deep sense of loss of what is loved or valued, which may be a person, a thing or even liberty; (2) a conflict of mixed feelings of love and hatred toward what is loved or highly valued; (3) a heightened overcritical concern with the self. † Conrad’s parents are also busily engaged in the business of denial. Calvin, Conrad’s father, says, â€Å"Don’t worry. Everything is all right. By his own admission, he drinks too much, â€Å"because drinking helps†¦ , deadening the pain†. Calvin cannot tolerate conflict. Things must go smoothly. â€Å"Everything is jello and pudding with you, Dad. † Calvin, the orphan says, â€Å"Grief is ugly. It is something to be afraid of, to get rid of†. â€Å"Safety and order. Definitely the priorities of his life. He constantly questions himself as to whether or not he is a good father. â€Å"What is fatherhood, anyway? † Beth, Conrad’s mother, is very self-possessed. She appears to have a highly developed super-ego, that part of an individual’s personality which is â€Å"moralistic†¦ , meeting the demands of social convention, which can be irrational in requiring certain behaviors in spite of reason, convenience and common sense†. She is furthermore, a perfectionist. â€Å"Everything had to be perfect, never mind the impossible hardship it worked on her, on them all. † Conrad is not unlike his mother. He is an overachiever, an â€Å"A† student, on the swim team and a list-maker. His father tells the psychiatrist, â€Å"I see her not being able to forgive him. For surviving, maybe. No, that’s not it, for being too much like her. † A psychoanalyst might call her anal retentive. Someone who is â€Å"fixated symbolically in orderliness and a tendency toward perfectionism†. â€Å"Excessive self-control, not expressing feelings, guards against anxiety by controlling any expression of emotion and denying emotional investment in a thing or person. â€Å"She had not cried at the funeral†¦. She and Conrad had been strong and calm throughout. The message of the book is contained in Berger’s glib saying that, â€Å"People who keep stiff upper lips find that it’s damn hard to smile†. We see Conrad moving toward recovery and the successful management of his stage of development, as articulated by Erikson, â€Å"intimacy vs. isolation†. At story end, his father is more open with Conrad, moving closer to him, while his mother goes off on her own to work out her issues. Both trying to realize congruence in their development stage (Erikson), â€Å"ego integrity vs. despair†. How to cite The Defensive Mechanisms in Ordinary People by Judith Guest, Essay examples