14Mar/09Off
Should Laszlo attend his graduation or a conference?
Poll Results
Roughly three-fifths of votes were for Laszlo to attend his commencement, with two-fifths for him attending commencement then catching the red eye out to his conference.
Original Post
Hello.
I, Laszlo, face the following dilemma.
I finished my Ph.D in December, but the commencement ceremony is this May. I could fly back to attend the ceremony as well as hang out a little, or, I could attend a conference which happens to be occurring at the same time. The conference lasts four days and is in the Midwest, commencement occurs in California on the second of those days. Here are the pros and cons:
- Pro Commencement/Con Conference: My parents would really like to travel out to the west coast to go to the ceremony. Personally I wouldn't terribly mind missing it, but who knows, it's a one time deal. I'd definitely go if not for the conflict.
- Pro Conference/Con Commencement: The conference would be a nice chance to meet up with several colleagues, though for most of them not the only such chance. It's also being held at my future place of employment. It wouldn't be a huge deal to miss it, but it too would definitely be worthwhile if not for the conflict.
- Not really an issue: The cost of travel. There's a very good chance I'd still head out to California for a visit in May either way.
Options:
- Go to commencement, conference be darned.
- Go to the conference, commencement be dagnabbed.
- Go to commencement, then scramble to get on a redeye back to the midwest to catch roughly the last day and a half of the conference (likely with compromised awakeness).
Update: Laszlo was planning to attend both but a last minute cold sidelined him from attending either.