It’s Graduation Day! Some Tips And Things To Bring

Graduation day is coming! Seniors, buckle up! This is your moment. First, take a look at this letter to the graduating class of 2020. All of it applies to you, too. 

Now let’s talk about what you need ON graduation day. It can be a really exciting day! Let’s make sure you don’t forget anything. 

  • First, make sure you talk with your school or organization before graduation day to know if they provide the cap and gown or if you need to. Look into what color of gown, cord, or stole that you need. 
  • Double-check the night before the event on where you are supposed to meet up before the ceremony, and that you know how to get there. Especially for those participating in college graduation.
  • Use the bathroom one last time before the ceremony. 
  • Take a lot of pictures, you’ll never want to forget this day. However, make sure those batteries are charged on your phone, camera, or any other electronic device you bring. 
  • Wear your semi-formal clothes under your gown, but keep in mind that everything on you must fit into your pockets, you won’t have a bag to tote with you, so keep your items at a minimum and try to wear an outfit that includes pockets, if possible. 
  • Sunscreen! This can be so easily overlooked, but a lot of spring graduation ceremonies happen outside. Even on a cloudy day, you can sunburn. 

Graduation day is a day to be celebrated! Pose for the pictures and allow yourself plenty of time in the limelight. You deserve it, after all! 

Handling Senioritis

Hey seniors! It’s that time of the year again. The time when Christmas break is over and you’re heading into your last days of school before graduation. Anytime between now and the spring, senioritis is going to hit. It happens to everyone! As someone who has been through senioritis twice, once in high school, once in college, here are my tips for you to make it through your last months as a student! 

Take breaks. Work hard and get those assignments done, but also, take breaks! It will help you be more productive in the long run. Plus, you deserve a break! 

Make lists and prioritize what needs to be done. 

Fill those lists with exciting to-do’s as well! Such as “pick up senior packet” or “Finish last paper.” 

Grab a friend to do homework with, study, and check off those to-do lists with! It can be easier to stay motivated if you’re both working towards a common goal. 

Remember that you didn’t come this far to only come this far. The end is near, you can make it! 

You’re a great student and have the potential to go so far, so keep going! We believe in you! 

Tips For Graduating College Students

College graduation has recently come for many students and is still in anticipation of other seniors with graduation in the spring. This time of life can come with a mixture of emotions- excitement that college lectures are a thing of the past, worries for future plans, or fear of the unknown. I have asked trusted friends, family, and colleagues their best advice for graduating college students and have come up with this collective list of important things to remember during this big change in your life. 

  1. Stop stressing about a job. The most typical response by far was to stop stressing about jobs and career paths after graduation. There are a vast amount of options each major in school can lead you. Jobs will open up and work out, while others that seem perfect may slip through your fingertips. Important things to remember while job searching after graduation:
  2. The perfect job rarely exists. Which is okay because it leads to my next point.
  3. You most likely will not be in this job for a lifetime. Gone are the days where you choose a career path and stick with the same occupation until retirement. Typically, people spend 3-5 years in the same job before getting promoted or finding a new job. If you don’t find the perfect job, it’s okay because it will likely change. 
  4. Finding an entry-level job right after graduation doesn’t always happen, and that’s okay. Keep searching and putting in the effort, don’t let the pressure of a graduation date stress you out about a job. You’re young, take time to explore, travel, or even find experience in your field to land a great job later in life. 
  5. You can choose to be passionate about whatever job you end up in. Take it from my husband, who grew up on a farm surrounded by cows, horses, and corn. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration and landed his first job managing a warehouse in a rental company for wedding supplies. If a farm boy from Utah can have a full conversation about chivari chairs and 90” round ivory tablecloths one day and then be sad the next day when he says goodbye to the company while he changes his career back to his roots in an agriculture-based company, anyone can be passionate about anything. 
  6. The years went faster than you thought they would. College graduation is already here? How did four (or three, or five) years go by so fast? They really do happen in a blink of an eye. 

Studying a subject that brings excitement into your life at a university can be so rewarding. You’ve spent hours and days in classrooms, taking notes, studying flashcards, cramming for tests, and collaborating with peers. Finally, it’s your day to shine and be recognized by many for the accomplishment you’ve made. If I were to leave one last tip, it would be this: walk at your graduation ceremony. Take the day to wear the cap and gown, show off your school’s tassel, and pose for every picture your family and friends want to take. You just dedicated four years of your life to studying and passing classes, you deserve this day. Congratulations, graduate!