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The graduates

48 Comments

College students take photos of themselves at a park in Tokyo, after their graduation ceremony.

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48 Comments
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Why take photos of yourself? Ask someone else to do it so you fill the picture frame.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

Two of these folks is holding a clown camera. You know, the type that squirts water when you take a photo.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Photos of each other.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Maybe not representative but there appears to just as many young women as men in this photo. Just wondering if the ratio of male/female college graduates has changed recently.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Digital cameras have really changed the world.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

They have their life's ahead of them. Bon Chance kids!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Good luck, kids - you're going to need it.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

Congratulations on getting your bachelor degrees, which in turn qualify you for..nothing.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

I wouldn't mind taking a few photos of the one on the far right.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Also Cleo, I would think "taking photos of each other" would imply individuals taking photographs of other individuals, only one person taking a photos another person, 1 on 1. "Themselves" is ok for me as it is in fact a reflexive action of the group itself from what we see in the photos here. Whaddya think?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Two of these folks is holding a clown camera. You know, the type that squirts water when you take a photo.

After I sat there and looked at the picture, I finally got it. Hilarious! LMFAO!!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

oikawa - taking photos of themselves conjures up images of someone pointing the camera backwards at their own face. The kids in the photo are taking photos of each other, with the kids on the left posing and the kids on the right snapping. No doubt they're all taking turns at being on both ends of the camera. None of them are pointing the camera back at themselves.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Everyone looks the same, again and again. Monoculture.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

cleo, interesting. I think of "college students" being a collective group so "themselves" to me doesn't necessitate an individual taking a photo of themselves, it could be an individual taking a photo of another person because the other individual is also in the "group" of college students. Another example would be "They prepared themselves for the trip". This doesn't necessitate that each individual only prepared their own things, they could have helped the other people too. "Each other" to me implies only 2 agents whereas here there are multiple ones, and they are not necessarily even mutually taking photos, one person might take another's photo but not have their own taken in return.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

themselves means them and they, belonging to the owner of the camera....... what cleo has written is correct. Any other way is bunchering the word

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Congrats, kids! Please do your best, and try not to fall into the current system/heirarchy of things, instead trying to change it for the better.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

These young women and men should be wearing hakama... looks much nicer than these boring recruit suits...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Simon Philips

themselves means them and they, belonging to the owner of the camera

Yes but it depends on your conception of who "they" are, whether or not all of the group are doing the giving and the receiving. Also, when taking photos, taking photos of yourself is exactly what you do. It doesn't have to be turning the camera round and taking a photo of yourself, although that is one thing a lot of people do do nowadays, especially with mobiles with friends, and it could mean not only that but also giving your camera to someone else to take a picture of you.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Readers, the usage is correct. That ends discussion on this point.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Wow, just graduated and that one girl in the center is already on her knees.

0 ( +3 / -2 )

The future hope of Japan. Good luck guys and gals! Make a change for the better.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Zichi; people may be anylising the photo and commenting on what is there not on the people in a personl manner. There is a difference. Having a different opinion is not mean it is called being human.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My message to all new graduates. Leave Japan now...

Otherwise.... Welcome to the Japanese adult world of misery and suffering. You thought school and college was stressful, just wait until you start working for a company with illogical rules and systems. No doubt you'll be supervised by someone with no common sense and they'll act like they are great at their job. Regardless of their (lack of) skill and ability, the old people in the company will expect respect from you.

You cannot have a good personal life, because you're expected to stay at work for a least 12 hours everyday. Forget vacations and national holidays, you'll be made to feel guilty and an outcast if you take them. You're a slave to the machine that is slowing going to grind you down, shatter your dreams and hopes of a happy future. With luck you'll make it to retirement without jumping from Shin-Koiwa station..

The honeymoon is over, not the real stress of life in Japan begins.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

typo - last sentence should read; "The honeymoon is over, now the real stress of life in Japan begins:.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

A young bunch of people made through uni together and got to their graduation day and will begin a new chapter in their lives

Yes indeed... It means that their parents finished paying the tuition costs in full, in order for them to receive that piece of paper, which in Japan, means they passed the entrance exam... Aside from that, they didn't even need to show up for class... Graduation is virtually guaranteed, as long as your parents pay off the school tuition costs in full... (aside from getting convicted of gang raping girls... I.E... Waseda students...)

It also signifies 4 years totally wasted, on learning absolutely nothing... Actually pretending to learn... I guess that counts for something... But essentially once your accepted to a university, in four years, YOU WILL Get a diploma, if you study or not... Sorry, but that's the cold hard truth about J-Universities... It's no wonder, J-Companies put some much emphasis on experience, vise the degree... In the U.S... A BS and MS Degree mean something.. Here, in Japan, it's just just another piece of worthless paper... Anyway, good luck to them... But they will only go as far, here in Japan, as the University they attended... Even though, Todai didn't even make the top 25 list of universities in world... haha...

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I hope they cherish this moment. Every year I see legions of new grads come into our office tower. By mid year the bright young faces are turning ashen. And within a year or two, they are just more tired salary people.

It is a shame that work/life does not provide better for the happiness of people in Japan. So that they can continue to keep the fire of optimism we see in this photo alive for much more of their lives.

0 ( +1 / -2 )

@Chin4

Not true. All my artist friends, doctors, nurses and lawyer friends all studied quite hard. The fashion designers really put in their time. Omedetou to all.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

4 years totally wasted, on learning absolutely nothing..

I'm sure people who right that kind of rubbish do believe it sincerely. Maybe they got their opinions from observing time-servers at the third-rate unis they teach English at, where what they write here is probably true.....but the top universities are not easy street at all. I watched both my kids grow and reach new heights while at university here. Their time was certainly not wasted.

Congratulations to the new grads. I hope they all have jobs to go to (those that want jobs) or know what they want to do (those that don't). And I hope they never turn as bitter and cynical as some of the posters on JT.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

only 12 months to land a starting position at a major company or you are doomed to a life of low income. note for all japanese college students. get a degree in science or engineering and then move to America or europe.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Why do people get so bitter when they see people graduate from college?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

After doing graduation most of the creative minds find joy in exposing and expressing themselves in the activities of life and professions and on the basis of such creative passion , Japanese educated students were assembled to mingle with one another through taking photos, is a good and inspiring news. Thanks to the young chaps from a senior Indian of 54 years. Wish your success in enjoying the life meaningfully.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

they already look like salarymen and women... wow

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Some incredible knees here!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In the Commonwealth, a bachelor's degree is typically interpreted that the recipient paid attention during lectures.

a bachelor with honours is an indication that the recipient did research on a topic related to his or her major and has made a commitment.

guess who gets the job.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

beautiful looking girls

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Congratulations to these graduates!

I also want to commend them for wearing somewhat formal clothes and looking like adults. The popular image of young people these days, particularly at Coming of Age Day celebrations, is of unkempt, rowdy drunkards embarrassing themselves, but not this bunch. Dressed properly and looking genuinely happy. They look like they'll be assets to their new employers!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They could easily solve this problem by having someone with a digital cam show up with a TRIPOD xD. Then people that want to take pictures with their friends will all be in the same photo :D.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Congratulations to these young kids! Glad to see them enjoying and having fun by taking photos of each other and among themselves after their graduation ceremony. Enjoy the moment and hope some of them will remain as true friends for years to come. I have two true friends from my high school time even though we resides in two different continents. The world is yours, so go for it!!! Good luck to you all.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

They look like they'll be assets to their new employers!

Literally, and that's if they are lucky to get a grad position by getting the right answers to those ridiculous SPI standardized tests.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I hope they had a good time.

Now they need to make sure to leave opinions, independent thinking(if any present) and creativity(ditto) at the door of most of the places of employment they're about to enter.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here's a real handy rule of thumb for your career kids: choose a field where you can work for yourself. Professional independence is not risk to be afraid of, it is a form of dignity that stays with you until death or you call it quits.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Good for them. I hope they all find good jobs too. Or a nice business working for themselves.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They could easily solve this problem by having someone with a digital cam show up with a TRIPOD xD. Then people that want to take pictures with their friends will all be in the same photo :D.

My Japanese friend suggested that what we are seeing is two class groups. The students in class A are photographing the students in class B, so that's why they aren't all crowding into the same photo or using a tripod.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Congrats to all... I second @tokyokawasaki ... I wish if they get a better personal life too... I also worked with japanese, it is really tough.. They live to work under unbearable pressure.. My office mates even afraid of standing before their seniors... ..

wish all these grads a bright future...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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