College graduation season can be a crazy and overwhelming time for seniors. While spending their time finishing up finals and earning passing grades, the last thing on their mind is the graduation checklist that comes with wrapping up their college career. Being prepared to graduate will make entering the working world a whole lot smoother. We’ve gathered a list of things college seniors often forget to think about before their graduation to help you get organized and tackle graduation season with ease.
Order Your Cap & Gown
When it comes to commencement ceremonies, universities can hand over a long list of graduation requirements that easily get lost in the hustle and bustle of senior year. On top of applying to graduate, finishing classes, and specifying how you’d like your name displayed on your diploma, you also need your academic regalia! Most universities require students to pay a small fee for their graduation regalia and order preferred sizes online. Figure out what specifically your university requires; it’s likely they’ll send out an email to students about this. Purchasing a cap and gown is an important step many graduates forget to think about, so as soon as you’re able, get them ordered and check it off your to-do list.Invite Family & Friends to Graduation Day
The day you graduate is an important and exciting event not just for you, but also for the people close to you! Another important task to remember for senior graduation is inviting them to be a part of it. Make sure to send out graduation announcements to friends and family and ask them to RSVP to your graduation ceremony. Some commencement ceremonies need tickets to be purchased beforehand. Check and see what your school’s requirements are and make sure your loved ones are in the loop about plans for the day-of. It’s extra work, but seeing the pride on their faces as you walk across the stage and receive your degree is surely worth it. There’s also a high likelihood that an invite also ensures college graduation gifts for you!Decorate Your Graduation Cap
Walking across the stage at your graduation ceremony is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so make the most of it! For a moment all eyes are on you, and you have the chance to make a statement. Not only is decorating your graduation cap a fun craft to do with friends, it’s also a way to convey what’s important to you. Education majors can communicate the hope they have for their future classes or psychology majors can add a wise and witty quote to their caps. Using a cute cartoon cutout, custom stickers, and a hot glue gun, the possibilities for decorating your graduation cap are endless. Not sure where to start? Read more about how to decorate your graduation cap.Pick out a Commencement Outfit
Another graduation reminder is that even though you’ll be wearing your graduation robe over your outfit, it’s still a good idea to dress to impress! Odds are that you’ll be taking lots of photos with friends, family, classmates, and faculty who’ve shaped your college journey along the way. Your university may hire a professional photographer as well to snap a shot of you holding your coveted degree. Wear something that’s true to your personal style but also won’t cause you to cringe when you look back at photos. Take time to put your outfit together the day before graduating college so you don’t have to worry about it the morning of. Remember it’s important to look your best on one of the most important days of your life!Frame Your Diploma
Your degree is the most valuable piece of paper you’ll ever own. It represents your hard work, determination, and drive to excel; it’s also the ticket to your dream job. Don’t pack it away in a box or slip it into a folder somewhere. You earned it, now frame it! Framing your degree right after you earn it ensures that your document is preserved and stays in top-notch shape. It also proves to future employers that you were serious about your education, and plan to translate your professional attitude into the working world.
As leaders in the diploma framing business, we’ve spent decades perfecting the craft of custom framing. From solid hardwood mouldings that are cut and joined by hand to museum-quality matting and backing materials, the quality of our diploma frames are simply unmatched. We have an online store that offers college graduation frames for every graduate regardless of which university you attended, so browse Vanderbilt, customize Iowa State, or shop NYU diploma frames today!
Plan a College Graduation Party
A graduation party is a great way to celebrate your monumental achievement! It’s also a reason for family and friends to gather and spend special time with you. Having a party is a way to slow down from the chaos of graduation and reflect on how much you’ve learned to get to this point. Looking for college graduation party ideas? There’s no right or wrong way to throw a grad party. You can go all out with a nice venue, balloons, snacks, and baby pictures, or it can be a simple backyard gathering and meal shared with your closest relationships. Feel free to decorate with napkins or streamers that represent your school colors, and any special pictures and memorabilia from growing up. Popular snacks that are sure to be a hit at your grad party include finger foods like sliders, fruit salad, chips, and of course cake!
Consider Continuing Education
Are you truly passionate about your area of study? Perhaps you’re an education major who’d like to lead at an administrative level, or an art history major who wants to teach others the complexities of our visual culture. If you feel like you can relate, then continuing your education might be for you. There’s a likelihood that your undergrad alma mater offers graduate college options as well, but if not, it’s easy to enroll at other universities across the country that align with your area of study. Graduate programs tend to be more intense but take less time than undergraduate degrees. Earning a college graduate degree in a specific field can open up a world of new job opportunities. It allows you to pursue niche positions and climb the ladder to the top of your field.
If you’re not quite sure the type of position you want to pursue with your degree, jumping into a graduate program probably isn’t for you. Or maybe you want to be done with school for a while; there’s nothing wrong with continuing education later in life! There is real benefit in diving into the working world after graduating college, discovering what specifically you’re passionate about, and then revisiting the idea of graduate school at a later date. Attending a grad school may not be necessary for you and isn’t for everyone, but it is an important idea to consider before you move in from college completely.