But many graduands and staff wore the "unusual fashion" accessories on Friday as a tribute to their fellow student, the late Jock Davies, who was tragically killed in a hunting accident on Stewart Island in July last year.
The Tapanui 21-year-old was in his final year of a bachelor of applied science degree and was infamous among his cohort for wearing the great outdoors footwear to his lectures.
At a special pre-graduation ceremony for Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health students at the Sargood Centre on Friday, Mr Davies’ degree was given posthumously to his family.
His father Peter said it was a "very emotional" moment which celebrated all the hard work he had done on his degree.
"He worked really hard to get where he was going. He was looking forward to his next steps.
He was delighted to see so many people wearing his son’s favourite forms of footwear.
"He was normally in Birks, or he would be in Red Bands, or his RNs, unless he was out running usually.
"That was Jock though — just because they were comfortable and easy to slip on."
He said his son had survived two battles with leukaemia, and was "a tough wee bugger".
He was diagnosed with the cancer in 2013, and he relapsed in 2018 before getting a bone marrow transplant, which effectively cured him.
So it was not surprising when his son said he wanted to become a PE teacher, he said.
The battles his son fought made him an inspiration to others around him.
"His two big bros, they look up to him. They just admired his strength. He was a tough wee bugger."
The fact he had been freed of leukaemia and had his life back on track made his death from a hunting accident difficult to come to terms with, he said.
"Every day’s hard.
Institute of Sport Exercise and Health head Brendon Timmins said losing Mr Davies created "a massive void", especially for his classmates.
"I’m very proud of how you [fellow students] pitted around each other and kept going.
"But all this pales in comparison with what you — Jock’s family — have been through since the accident.
"Know that we thought the world of Jock, and he’s an absolute credit to you all."
Two other degrees were awarded posthumously yesterday — a bachelor of engineering technology to Michael Sherry, and a New Zealand Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (level 3) to Kees Payne.
