If you didn't have Enum.(Try)Parse?

enum_parser.cs

static bool TryParseEnum<T>(string input, out T parsedValue)
{
	input = input.Trim();
	foreach (T value in Enum.GetValues(typeof(T)))
	{
		if (value.ToString() == input)
		{
			parsedValue = value;
			return true;
		}
	}
	
	parsedValue = default(T);
	return false;
}


internal static class EnumCache<T>
{
	internal static Dictionary<string, T> Cache;
}

static bool TryParseEnumFaster<T>(string input, out T parsedValue)
{
	var cache = EnumCache<T>.Cache;
	if (cache == null)
	{
		cache = new Dictionary<string, T>();
		foreach (T value in Enum.GetValues(typeof(T)))
		{
			cache[value.ToString()] = value;
		}
		EnumCache<T>.Cache = cache;
	}
	
	return cache.TryGetValue(input, out parsedValue);
}