【文稿】人家大学的毕业礼物

Xiaohua: College and university students are going to graduate. And some schools in China decided to give graduation gifts or some sort of souvenirs to their future alumni. So do you think these are necessary? Heyang: Personally, I don’t think why this is a big deal. Well, are they free? If they are free, then great, you know. Otherwise…… Well, if it’s a voluntary thing that you can, if you want, you can pay extra to get a souvenir ring or a T-shirt or a mug, then fine. But I think most importantly, the biggest souvenir you get is that diploma. And I think, you know, that’s the most important thing of all. John: Yeah, but diplomas are boring. They are just pieces of paper that may be you can hang up on your wall. But like a ring or something like that, you can walk around with that, and people automatically know that you went to this that or the other school. Heyang: Oh, I guess I’m not so vain. John: But also I think that especially in the US, I’m not sure about the UK or Canada anything like that, but class rings are very very popular, especially in high school, and now more and more universities are adopting them as well. But they are certainly not free. In fact, they…… Xiaohua: Really? John: Yeah. Xiaohua: They are not free? John: Oh, no. Heyang: They are quite expensive. John: They can actually get quite expensive upwards of 200 dollars. I think I’ve seen some that are like 500 dollars in some cases. So I’m not surprised they are trying, they are giving out these rings. I’m surprised that they are giving them away for free. To be honest, I think that depending on the type and style and of course the material involved, they can actually get very expensive for school. But again in terms of a parting gift, in terms of a way to show people where you went to school, you know something a memento, you know, I mean having a ring, or even anything else, I think just kind of make sense. Xiaohua: Yeah, I do think it make sense. But I have to wonder how much they are going to commercialize it. Like Heyang says, if it’s free or maybe if it costs a little bit of money, then I’m totally OK with it. But if you are going to say, eh, make 30 different kinds of things with different price tag on everything and ask, you know, students whether you want to buy it, then it just reminds me of a university gift shop where you just pay to get something. John: Yeah. That’s the point, isn’t it? Heyang: But this is only for graduation, right? Xiaohua: Make money? John: Yeah. Heyang: Well, I think what Xiaohua was saying is probably already there, right, available in the university gift shop. But this is about graduation, you know, that big day and if it’s …… John: I don’t know. It’s same with the class rings in the US, you know. I can go back to my university and buy a T-shirt anytime that I want. And of course it’s going to be overpriced. I can buy a pendant, or I can buy a bumper-sticker. All of those are going to be overpriced. But the rings and other things are only available if you are a graduate, that only available for an exclusive set of people. And so I mean, I don’t see it as a problem, I never bought a ring. I thought they were a kind of stupid and expensive. Xiaohua: May be you are confident with yourself and your own decisions. John: Also my school wasn’t that great. Xioahua: Okay, that’s the main point. What about students who fear of peer pressure, who think everybody else has one so I must have one, but then I don’t have the money. And then they feel terrible? John: Sell a kidney. No, I’m just kidding, totally kidding. Xiaohua: Sure. Heyang: Okay, well, those people need to grow up, I think. And well if you have a culture of, you know, just you have to get a ring for graduation. I think that’s wrong. I don’t think that is…… The most important thing is your diploma and if anything else you want, then it’s sort of like put the cherry on top to have a little extra souvenir. John: Well. But the diploma is taking for granted. I mean everyone gets a diploma. But some people get to stand out. I mean, I think, in a more consumer, materialist-driving society and economy, these types of products, I think, are not surprising. You don’t have to buy one if you don’t want to. Certainly, there is going to be peer pressure. But there is always going to be people who want to stand out by not standing out, who want to go against the mainstream. Some they want to do that, that’s fine. If they want to buy a ring, that’s fine. That’s really up to them, isn’t it? Xiaohua: Yeah. Actually I kind of think that still it is a good idea, although I do have my concerns, but all in all, I think, you know, we don’t need to over worry for these kids, ’cos they are no longer kids any more, they are grown- ups.