College Senior Sends Shockwaves Through Family After Disclosing She Won’t Be Graduating - Weeks Before Her Lavish Graduation Bash

Cake, confetti and…catastrophe?

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• May 22, 2024

There’s always that one story that leaves everyone shaking their heads, and this was definitely one of them.  Picture this: months of planning, invites sent, flights booked, and a graduation party that's practically set to go down in family history—only for the rug to be pulled out from under everyone. Well, this is how it all went down.

Our narrator (Original Poster) had been eagerly anticipating her daughter’s college graduation. It had been seven months of discussions, choosing the right venue, and painstakingly curating a guest list.

Family members from far and wide had even booked their flights already, ready to grace the grand occasion in grand style. But then, only a month to go before D-day, the esteemed graduate-to-be dropped a bombshell: she wouldn't be graduating. 

She confessed to flunking a crucial class the previous semester—a little detail she glossed over for four months while feeding everyone lies and spearheading the planning committee.

This revelation came as a cold shower to OP and her husband, who’d already paid for the venue, catering, and decorations—all non-refundable.

OP informed her daughter that she would be the one to break the news to every single guest. Yes, she’d make the dreaded calls to relatives and also offer to reimburse them for their flights if refunds weren’t granted by the airline.

Naturally, this did not sit well with the college senior. A heated argument followed and even OP’s husband who believed she was being a tad too harsh eventually sided with her.

Was OP really being a jerk like her daughter claimed?

The story in detail

A bit of background

OP made it clear to her daughter that she will have to call all her relatives and tell them the truth. In addition, she will also have to refund the money for their flight tickets

Important edit

The final bit

We gathered some reactions from the Reddit community:

OP responded to the questions

“Having her go through the humiliating punishment you handed out isn't going to change one single thing about her graduation status.”

“Your daughter lied to everyone about her graduation, and it's only fair that she takes responsibility for her actions.”

“She had plenty of time to let you know. This was totally avoidable.”

“It's important she gets this NOW, before she enters into the workforce thinking she can pull this crap.”

“NTA. I'd argue it's even in her best interest to call everyone individually.”

“Sure she should’ve told you but my guess is you aren’t a safe person for her to talk to and she was afraid of your revenge.”

Redditors weighed in with mixed perspectives. 

Many acknowledged that lying is wrong and that accountability is important. However, others highlighted how OP’s approach might lead to long-term emotional damage—like her daughter feeling unworthy of love without achievement.

In the end, it’s clear that the truth will always find its way out, no matter how long it takes. When it does, it might just be more dramatic than the lie ever was.

What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments

Jesse