On asking questions, Part II

As we approach the end of the school year and another batch of seniors go off to graduate, here is the question that I've been asking them the most:

"So what are you doing after graduation?"

Although common, this can be a dangerous question to ask. On one hand, it is necessary to know where they disappear off to if you never see them again (except on Facebook). On the other, you can probably expect that they've been asked this a couple million times, and if they don't have a better answer than "bumming around" then it is probably also painful to answer.

If you've read the first part, On Asking Questions, you'll remember that it's annoying when people ask the same repetitive generic questions over and over, and you are continuously obligated to provide the same mundane answers. However, in this case I feel that the graduation question is an important boring question that must be asked. Perhaps it'd be better if you asked it in different ways:

"What are some plans of yours for the upcoming future?"
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
"What are you going to do with your life???"

Or maybe it's easier to answer if you ask it in a more short-term fashion:

"Anything fun planned for the summer?"
"Where are you living next year?"
"What are you doing tonight??"

But all in all, as much as I hate getting asked the graduation question, I think the ask-ee should simply think of it as a silent plea: "DON'T LEAVE ME PLSPLSPLS." When I ask this question, that and other similar thoughts are probably going through my head - "LET'S HANG OUT DON'T GO FAR AWAY I DON'T WANT TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS."

Yea. So hopefully now you'll feel a little more flattered when I or anyone else ask you this. Or better yet, don't even wait for me to ask! Just tell me! Don't leave! Pls.