I don't think that graduating from a professional program is lame in the least! I hope you're proud of yourself because you did it while coping with struggles that most people don't have to deal with.

I think there may be a few things going on... On the one hand, some people consider work friends to be just that. They don't carry those relationships into other areas of their lives. (Yes, I am one of those people. I won't ever become personal friends with a co-worker, for a number of reasons.) I understand that you've become quite close to these people, but I think it may be a good idea to just consider them to be work friends and nothing more. In some workplaces, if you get too personally enmeshed with others, it can come back and bit you in the arse....if people know about your personal life, they can ultimately use it against you at any point in the future. Maybe I'm sounding a bit paranoid, but when it comes right down to it, your job is directly responsible for your financial well being, and in that light, it probably is a good idea to keep work friends at arms length in order to not jeopardize your future. I'm not saying to do anything mean, rather keep them as work friends and let the relationship stop there.

On the other hand, its a pure shyte move to tell someone you'll be there and not show up. Ok, yeah, I'm a hypocrite on this one as I tend to cancel on people all the time....but my reason is always the same, my anxiety is just too much to handle. (I have PTSD.) I don't want to seem like I'm getting up on my high horse, but in the absence of anxiety, I *never* cancel on people. When I say I'll be somewhere or do something, I do it! So really, what's everyone else's excuse? 'Cuz to be frank, most of the world doesn't deal with severe anxiety like I do! Yes, I know others have their reasons and such, but to flake out? Not cool. I honestly think its a societal thing....invitation acceptances aren't set in stone, people don't want to hurt your feelings by saying no to your face, its a lot easier to just not show up because then they don't have to deal with actually seeing you hurt/disappointed. Its the whole out of sight, out of mind sort of thing.