Students need more graduation tickets

I would like to begin this article by thanking Mercer for ruining my excitement about the graduation ceremony. Yes, thank you. To avoid singling out certain individuals I will direct my article, simply, to  Mercer.

Judging from the multiple conversations and Facebook statuses, I’m sure seniors can agree with me that Mercer is wrong for limiting us to only five tickets for graduation. Ever since the distribution of tickets I have seen at least five Facebook statuses from different students asking—and even begging—for extra tickets.

Is it space, Mercer? You can fix that issue. How hard can it be to rent the Macon Coliseum so that there will be no worries about seating? I don’t care whether I graduate on or off campus; hell, I graduated high school at the Gwinnett Civic Center. It’s not a big deal. My family doesn’t care about seeing the campus either; I have been here four years and they have seen enough of it.

Is it a money issue, Mercer? Does it cost too much to rent the Macon Coliseum for a day? If the school can spend money on pointless programs such as MercerMobile (which we saw was a complete fail, among other things), then why can’t there be an initiative for a better or larger venue for the graduation ceremony?

This five-ticket thing is ridiculous. I don’t think Mercer, the school I have attended for four years and for which I will be in debt, doesn’t care that I have to tell family members that have been influential figures in my college career that they cannot come because I am only allotted so many tickets.

For me college graduation is far more important than high school, and you’re telling me that my family traveling to Georgia from New Jersey can come sit in the Medical School auditorium and watch me graduate on a screen? That’s insulting!

What about those who have more than five people in their immediate family? Surprise, Mercer, I actually have two parents and more than one sibling! Shocking, right? I can’t imagine how those with more than two or three siblings are handling this ticket situation.

It seems as if Mercer cares more about their own interests rather than the interests of the students who pay tuition to go here. I promise I’m not the first or the last to complain about Mercer rationing students five tickets as if our families (outside the immediate family) don’t care about our achievements.

At some point shouldn’t you listen, Mercer? This isn’t another complaint — take into account how annoying it is to only have five tickets for my college graduation as opposed to my high school graduation, for which I was given 20.

May 14 is a special day for not only students, but also our families, relatives, friends, mentors and others  who have been supportive during out time here at Mercer. I’m not saying students should be given 20 or 30 tickets, but would five more really hurt? As much as tuition costs for four years at this university, I should be able to have at least 10 tickets!

 

Comments on this opinion should be sent to editor@mercercluster.com