You don’t graduate every day! For most graduates, graduation day is a once in a lifetime experience. It’s a day of celebration and relief after years of studying, writing essays and trying not to fall asleep in lectures. However, a drawback of this event being a one off is that it’s hard to know what to expect. To make sure you’re fully prepared, we’ve put together the ultimate graduation guide.
Before the big day
You need to make sure everything is in order before graduation day. Your university will have sent you all the relevant information in an email – read all of it! It may be a long and boring email, but don’t be tempted to skim, you could miss something important.
Make sure you know where and when you need to order your graduation cap and robes, where the ceremony will be, what time you need to arrive and what you need to bring with you. You may also need to register for the graduation ceremony and request tickets for guests. You don’t want anyone missing out!
Arrive prepared
Make sure you take anything with you that you may need. Do you need a reference or order form to collect your robes? Will you need your student ID or any other documents with you?
Remember that there will be lots of photos taken of you on the day, so things like a hairbrush or makeup could come in handy.
On the day
Graduation ceremonies are rarely small affairs. Due to the scale and importance of the event, there is often a tight schedule to stick to. Make sure you know where you need to be and that you adhere to any time limits you are given. If you’re unsure, there will be people around to help you if you’re lost!
As you need to follow the itinerary for the day, make sure you take any opportunity to grab a drink or nip to the toilet. If nature calls in the middle of the ceremony, you might be stuck!
There’s no need to be nervous
No, you won’t fall over! This is most people’s main worry about graduating. Think about it, you’re pretty good at getting yourself from A to B every day without falling down. When your name is called to accept your degree certificate, it’s unlikely you’ll need to walk very far. You’ve got this!
If you’re feeling nervous before the ceremony, remember that you’ve worked hard to get to this day. It’s exciting and will be over in a flash, so enjoy it.
Let your fans enjoy themselves
Parents and relatives have an awful habit of cramping our style. However, it’s a big day for them, too! They’re proud of you and happy, so let them have their fun. Brace yourself – your mum might take a million photos and your nan might call you her ‘little bunny’ in front of your uni pals. Would you have them any other way, though?
Helpful tips
Here are some things about graduation day that you may find useful:
Congratulations to all you nearly-graduates out there and have a fantastic graduation day!
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