Frills: expensive. Graduation: priceless

Saturday is a huge day for 7,222 students on this campus. Many will put on a black cap and gown, walk the processional into Assembly Hall and move their tassel from one side to the other.\nI am one of those students.\nAs with many cultural benchmarks in our lives, this event can cost a lot of money, following well with Americans' love for keeping up with the Joneses and showing off the benefits of their income. Parents come into town armed with credit cards to charge announcements, attire, dinners and hotel bills.\nI bought my cap, gown and tassel at the bookstore last week, along with a Class of 2006 T-shirt, for a total of $38. To skip the expense of fancy announcements that can cost more than $100, I made my own out of leftover scrapbook vellum, cover stock and double-stick tape for $18. I designed and printed my messages in Microsoft Word. My parents live in Bloomington, so there are no hotel bills or travel costs to consider for them, thankfully.\nIt's silly and a waste to spend a lot of money on the hoopla and pomp and circumstance that surrounds a one-day event in someone's life. \nI have the same beef with weddings. No one ever wears the dress again, much like a graduation gown.\nYet, like the MasterCard commercials, celebrating your achievements this graduation weekend with those you love is priceless. Many of us will someday get married or have children, creating more parties and ceremonies to honor those life-changing events via a strain on our bank accounts.\nThe way I see it, the new clothes, professionally designed invitations, deluxe accommodations and catered dinners are just window dressing. Whether you choose to walk in the processional for your school's ceremony or simply sleep in and pack up your apartment, it is a special event. The day itself might be meaningless -- the diploma doesn't reach your hands until weeks or months later and you might not know your final grades.\nBut you've achieved something that only 27 percent of Americans achieve: a post-secondary degree, according to the U.S. Department of Education. We've spent the last several years surrounded by people trying to achieve the same goal. Out in the "real world," the majority of people will never graduate from an institution after high school. So be proud. If spending the money on a big party or formal dinner is how you express that, that's fine. Our consumer culture shines brightest on days like this, for better or for worse.\nStill, our experiences at educational institutions should have made us more culturally aware. As we celebrate the end of this part of our lives, let's keep in mind how lucky we are to celebrate this kind of feat. Spend the time with those who are proudest of your achievements and take the time to remember those who won't get the chance to congratulate you.\nThe privilege of being part of such a small percentage of Americans comes with a lot of cultural responsibility. We have the education to make the world a better place -- let's not spend it all in one place.