Blog#2 The Commencement Ceremony in OSU-Eugenia Heo

2012 Spring Commencement Ceremony In OSU 

On the first Sunday in Columbus, I went to the spring commencement ceremony by chance. First of all, large-scale graduation ceremony makes me surprised. I have never seen that big graduation ceremony in Korea.

I found cultural differences in decorated graduation caps. It intrigued my interest. They might want to show their personal character with decorating graduation caps. I think that shows cultural concept for Korea and America clearly. As community spirit has strong influence on Korean society, Koreans tend not to show individual identities. In general, Koreans want to be average members of community and mingled well with others. I think that is why they simply put on black-depersonalized graduation caps. In contrast, Americans show their individuality through their graduation caps. Americans want to show their own characters not hide them as their cultural concepts are based on individualism. I will decorate it in my graduation ceremony. It will show my personal traits and make my college graduation unforgettable.

Moreover, I can feel the freedom in the ceremony. After they receive their diploma, they pose variety gestures such as dancing. I think American have more freedom than Korean in routine life. Since nationality is based on the liberty, they have freedom in life. They regard graduation ceremony as celebrating happy moment not as just ceremony. No one can doubt that the commencement ceremony is a happy day for students. Expressing happiness would be natural and good. However, Koreans have a stereotype that graduation ceremony should be formal. They only focus on the ceremony itself not the meaning of graduation. Korean thinks that observing the manners and convention is the most important thing from the past. That would be the reason why they have formal and rigid style of the ceremony. I found that American has much freedom of expression than Korean.

I prefer the American’s way of celebrating commencement ceremony. The ceremony should have some formal rules. However, I think people need to have enjoyable time and share the happy feeling with others in commencement ceremony like Americans do. It was great that I can build up the cultural ideas with seeing the graduation ceremony.