I went to my mailbox last night and found the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. Who was on the latest cover? Josh Hamilton. There is a big story about his journey from being the first pick to being a drug addict to back to being an All-Star in the big leagues.
Here’s the cover:
All I got to say is that I beat you to this story Sports Illustrated. Check out my post on Josh Hamilton on May 21st if you have not get the chance to read it yet.
We are currently right in the middle of graduation season. All of the college graduations are over and now comes all the high school graduations.
People, we have been making a huge mistake in graduations for a long time.
As somebody that has been through both the high school and college graduation processes, I have learned something and will propose something that will change how American culture responds to graduations. We need to stop sending all the graduation money to high schooler grads and show some love to the college grads. Let me explain…
I remember June 1999, I was graduating high school from Cheatham County Central High School (CCCHS - Go Cubs!). My mom so nicely and motherly-like ordered graduation announcements and mailed them to pretty much everybody we had ever met and had an address for. Being ignorant of the whole process, I thought my mom was inviting all those people to my actual graduation, which I thought was a little psycho because I did not even really know some of these people. But I thought, “Hey, my mom is always really proud of me,” so I went with it.
Then the checks and cash started to come in. I was amazed at how much money I got from people. I am pretty sure that my final cash amount was in the four digits range, which is way too much money for a high school senior. What did I use that money for? Who knows? I probably wasted all that money on a trip with my friends to Panama City (yeah, I have been there Luke), a couple Nintendo 64 games, some clothes, and junk food.
Compare that to when I graduated Lipscomb University in December 2003. What did I get when I graduated college? Jack squat. Nothing. Nada.
Now when did I need the money more? After high school when I was facing a life of living in a dormroom, eating on a meal plan that required none of my money, and not having to pay one bill or after college, when I was facing a life out on my own for the first time, away from my parents, engaged to be married, and paying bills? Hmmmm…let me think? I could have used that money after college way more than after high school.
I propose that we save our money for when these students graduate college. Now I understand not everybody goes directly to college and need that graduation money after high school. By all means, still hook those students up. However, for those that are planning on pursing a college education, let us give that graduation check after they finish college…for their sake. Instead of buying tattoos, snow cones, and Guitar Hero 3, they can start to pay off their student loans, put a down payment on their first apartment, or pay their cell phone bill. I think that is a better use of graduation money.
What do you think? Am I crazy or am I making some sense?
