Travel as rite,privilege as right: Grad trips and the social reproduction of class in Singapore

Abstract

Graduation trips have become a deeply embedded rite of passage for university students in Singapore, marking the transition from student life to adulthood. Often framed as a well-earned reward for academic effort, these trips reflect broader meritocratic ideals that equate success with individual achievement. However, this paper argues that grad trips are not merely celebratory experiences but also sites where class distinctions are negotiated and reproduced. While travel is often idealized as a means of personal growth and exploration, access to and experiences of travel are shaped by economic privilege. Drawing on qualitative research, this study examines how students from different socioeconomic backgrounds navigate the expectations surrounding graduation trips. The findings highlight how disparities in financial resources influence destination choices, modes of travel, and consumption patterns, while meritocratic discourses obscure these inequalities by normalizing travel as a self-earned experience. Moreover, the paper explores how students engage in strategies to reconcile financial constraints with social belonging, including forms of symbolic travel and budget-conscious adaptations. By interrogating the intersection of travel, class, and meritocracy, this study sheds light on the ways in which social mobility is both imagined and constrained within contemporary Singapore. It contributes to broader discussions on privilege, youth culture, and the hidden mechanisms through which inequality is perpetuated in seemingly neutral social practices.