AIO for not wanting my family to come to my high school graduation.
I (M17) am graduating from high school tomorrow afternoon and have been both nervous and looking forward to graduation. I live in Perth, Australia so idk how schooling varies from other countries but here I finished going/being given school work a month ago and began my school holidays before I walk across stage and receive my diploma. Once I get my diploma I should be going to university in 2026 at a local university near me, I wasn’t able to complete ATAR (if you aren’t aware what ATAR is…. Google it) so I was put into UniPrep (University Prep) and which allows me to take a bunch of tests after school that are university level and once I completed all the assignments and tests I get an ATAR score (again if unsure google) and go to university without having to do exams at all like the ATAR students.But enough yapping, now for what you all clicked this reddit story for…
So basically my school had previously sent out an email listing all the information needed for the night (date, time, place, what to wear, e.c.t.) and they also gave the students and family physical tickets that they would need to show on the night to allow entry into the gym. So I get my ticket and my whole family is able to attend (Mum 48, Dad 56, Brother 30, Brother 27). Now it is very rare that my whole family is together since both my brothers are older they go off and live their lives as they should and I see 1 brother every fortnight, and the other every 3-4 months. And it's kinda sad but my parents don’t relatively pay that much attention/ time with me, but over the years I noticed I distanced myself from them cause I gave up on trying to be noticed by them (sad I know). But anyway today I was discussing with my parents about when they would arrive at the school since it says for students to be there 2 hours early to rehearse and then parents can come an hour before the ceremony starts to have professional photos done with their child in their gown. But when I asked my parents my father said that he doesn’t want to get there early (I suggested maybe coming only 20-30 minutes before the ceremony as a compromise instead of being there for an hour with nothing to do), so because he doesn’t want to get photos done as a family on one of my most important nights of my life none of my family is coming early and are instead getting there when the ceremony starts. And in all honesty this really upset me, this whole year has been a downwards spiral (all my ‘friends’ leaving me, people spreading false rumours about me which ruined my popularity and social life, the boy [🏳️🌈] I had a been in a talking stage with for 2 1/2 years hating me, my depression coming back after I had been seeking therapy to get better from it, the list really keeps going on). So this really broke me I feel like, me wanting one moment to feel like my life is about me and to make me feel good completely ruined cause my father doesn’t want to spend not even maybe 10 minutes stood there on his youngest sons big day. So I honestly just don’t want anyone to come cause why bother coming if you aren’t gonna support and be happy for your sons high school graduation (being the only one in the entire family including extended family, who is going to use it to go to university).
So I just wanted to ask Am I overreacting.
Thank you all so much for reading this story, hope y’all have a nice rest of your day😘.
Posted Oct 22, 2025, 5:10 PM UTC · locked