Turning Tassels at Graduation, and Why it’s so Important

Why do students wear caps and gowns to commencement and turn their tassels once the degree is officially conferred? Why do couples gather family and friends for a wedding ceremony?  

According to Bentley Professor of Sociology and Experience Design Gary David, traditions recognize a transformative experience in a way that’s both shared and visible. Rituals are important in memorable “wow” moments — and preserving them isn’t a luxury. Even at the height of the COVID pandemic, people found creative ways to honor milestones, from wedding tailgates to drive-thru graduation ceremonies. 

Here, David explains why humans need visible signals of change, the risks that technology poses, and why businesses need to understand the nature of transformation.  

What distinguishes a truly transformational experience from one that’s merely functional or memorable?  

Transformation is about leaving one form and becoming another. As the old saying goes, it often happens “gradually, then all at once.” What we were is changed into what we have become.  

As with the butterfly, transformation can entail becoming an entirely new physical being. Other times, the transformation might be more internal and harder to see. When transformation is not externally obvious, we need to make it obvious by marking it through some kind of event to recognize its occurrence. 

Why are rituals like wearing caps and gowns and turning the cap tassel so powerful in marking moments of transformation? 

Graduation is a rite-of-passage ritual that is rooted in antiquity but adapted to modern times. Faculty and students still wear robes, based on 12th-century attire worn by scholars to ward off the cold.  

The turning of the tassel by graduates shows that they have now joined the ranks of the educated, having successfully completed requirements to earn their degrees. Hoods worn by faculty and administration signify their rank, school from which they received their degree, and area of study. Taken together, every element points to a transformation that has been shared by those before them. 

Patients who have undergone their last round of chemo now ring a bell. Recovery programs will hand out chips to those who completed recovery benchmarks. Apple Watches will celebrate when you have completed your activity goals for the day. These moments become more meaningful when shared with people who recognize the achievement and understand what it represents. 

Gary David says, “Not all experiences are the same.” Find out why.

As experiences become more digital and efficiency driven, what do we risk losing when rituals are shortened or eliminated?  

In all cultures, there are ceremonies and rituals to show that one has crossed over from one type of person to another. Those events can have music, clothing and other elements that show everyone the person has in fact changed. Not only have they individually changed, but they have joined others who have gone through the same ceremony before them — all sharing the experience of the same transformation ritual.    

A graduating student could just complete their last day of class and go home. For sure, some students might do exactly that. But to do so would miss an opportunity to collectively recognize and celebrate the work that went into that journey. 

During COVID, graduation ceremonies were still maintained. People drove by the homes of those who were graduating. Schools had online events full of celebratory emojis. These attempts still lacked the impact of being together all at once in a shared physical location. What these efforts did show was how we can adapt our transformation ceremonies to emerging conditions, which include new technologies. Technologies can help augment celebrations as long as the essential elements of those celebrations are maintained.   

What can organizations learn from traditional rituals when designing meaningful customer or employee experiences? 

Not every moment needs to be transformative in the sense that people feel “changed” as a result. Transformation is a high bar typically reserved for occasions of great significance. But when smaller meaningful moments do happen, companies can find ways to be part of that experience.   

Getting the keys to a new home. Buying a first car. Completing a professional development program. A first day on the job. There are many moments that signify transformations and should be celebrated as such.   

Skipping opportunities to mark transformation forfeits the chance to welcome the person into a new world of those who likewise have been transformed. Human beings need community and connection. Transformation rituals provide that opportunity. Organizations and companies need to recognize when they are part of a transformation — and show they care by doing all they can to celebrate it.