10 Things You Should Do on Graduation Day

The day has finally arrived! Your college graduation! You’ve worked hard for this for four (or more) years. Here are ten things you should definitely do on graduation day to make it memorable.

1. Take lots of pictures

Duh! This may seem like an obvious recommendation, but you would be surprised how caught up in the moment you can be. It can be time consuming to greet all of your classmates and professors, while also attempting to keep your grandmother entertained. But take a step back and get those photos! You may be showing them to your children one day.

2. Don’t be hungover

It may be tempting to go out and celebrate the night before graduation. Especially if your fun sister is visiting. However, I can promise you will regret those margaritas. The last thing you want is to throw up as you walk across that stage.

3. Thank those who deserve it

Graduating college is an amazing accomplishment. But it is important to remember those who helped get you to the finish line. Don’t forget to thank your mentors, parents, and college friends who have seen it all. (Especially don’t forget if you were lucky enough to have parents who paid your tuition…)

4. Be on time

 By “be on time,” we mean be early! Graduation day is not the time to be snoozing in! Traffic and parking are both likely to be insane. Additionally, you will want to leave yourself extra time so you don’t feel frazzled. You deserve to enjoy the day stress free.

5. Get enough rest the night before

Your appearance and mood will be much better! You want to be fresh and able to take it all in on graduation day.

6. Make sure you prioritize your celebration time

If your family has taken the time to travel and come visit you, make sure you spend time with them! You and your friends can always go out and celebrate later.

7. Confirm your lunch/dinner reservation if applicable

Graduation weekends will cause restaurants to be crazy busy. If you’re planning a celebration dinner, make sure you or your family calls the restaurant and confirms the time and number of guests. This suggestion also includes hotel confirmations! Confirmation = fewer worries!

8. Let the graduation speaker know how you pronounce your name

This may not be an option for very large universities. However, if you have the chance to do this, then do it! You would be surprised how people can mess up the simplest names. You only graduate once and deserve to have your name pronounced correctly.

9. Find out about graduation DVDs/memorabilia

Most schools offer a graduation DVD you can purchase. If you or your family can afford this, it is a great investment! You can even ask for this as your graduation gift. It will be great to watch in the future.

10. Smile BIG!

You did it! Congratulations!