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Graduation day can reduce you to a one-woman-about-to-meltdown jitters…or not. Supposedly the oh-so-magical day you have been waiting for since….kindergarten, the ultimate milestone in your young adult life, and of course, for a lot of us, finally an occasion for our parents to be truely proud of our achievements (i.e. They now know that despite all the detention slips that they have signed, mid-morning calls from a chagrined headmaster and months on end of not hearing from you after you have left for college, their efforts of putting you through nearly a decade of education have finally paid off.) Yet, it can be a totally annoying and I-just-want-to-get-it-over-and-done-with day for many, especially if you already have a job lined up, or an amazing 3-month postgrad vacation awaiting you.
The pressure of having to host your over-doting parents, sometimes our lovely siblings will come along, and for some even the grandparents are thrown into the mix. It might also mean that your boymanfriend will finally meet your parents (if he hasn’t already presented himself yet). And if your personal PR executive didn’t preempt this, an impromptu jovial run-in between his folks (if his are coming) and your folks may materialise to your ill-concealed horror.
On top of this, there are also some style and beauty contingencies to take care of! I may never have been a good student at note-taking, but here are some handy notes for a stress-free graduation day.
1. Find out who are coming as your guests, and plan accordingly.
Make sure you find out how many people are coming so you can accommodate them. Usually, if there is limited vacancy for the ceremony, you will be given two tickets for your parents. If anyone else has expressed interest to come, either hustle for some extra tickets (time to recoup all the favours you have done to your classmates, friends and dorm mates!) or let them know that they might have to wait until the ceremony is over.
2. Weather-proof your style.
I know, graduation is hardly a fashion parade. But you will be surprised the amount of dough people, especially girls, are willing to shell out just to make sure they look picture perfect for all the Kodak moments awaiting them. If you are graduating in a city with a humid climate, be sure that your makeup is sweat and shine-proof, and wear something light and airy under your gown so you won’t be sweating buckets. And get yourself an easy and manageable hairdo that won’t get squashed by your cap. That means, forget the slick chignons and let your hair down in soft curls or flat-ironed strands!
3. Get yourself a designated camera man/woman.
You will be running around getting photos from everyone you know. You will be weighed down by your heavy gown and a rebellious cap threatening to slip off your head, plus you have your clutch, bouquets of flowers from family and friends, and your trusty digital camera. What’s a girl to do? Grab yourself a wingman or woman, could be a sibling or boyfriend or BFF, obviously he or she cannot be graduating on the same day too, so he or she can help you hold on to your stuff and take some pictures for you. And after all this is over, don’t forget to thank him/her, and if you can, return the favour too.
4. Decide on a photo taking session on another day.
In the midst of all the excitement and chaos, you can easily feel overwhelmed by the crowd of strangers, the heat (if it’s outdoors) and the pressure to hunt down your classmates and friends from a sea of faces for photo sessions. If you missed out a few people, because some of them might be in a rush to leave or have familial obligations, no need for regrets yet. Go on Facebook or email a couple of classmates to see if they are available on the same day for a photo taking session. With all the parents, throngs of friends and professors out of the way, you can relax and focus on flashing your dazzling smiles for the cameras.
Did I miss anything out? :-)
Oh and before I forget, congratulations all around, run along and have a blast while you can! ♥
Tagged: College, experience, family, Fashion, graduating, graduation, life, milestone, professors, school, Style, university, what to do for graduation
