With graduation drawing near, most seniors find themselves in a panic. Common questions one may face could include “Did I fulfill the requirements to graduate?” “What do I wear?” or “What should I know about the ceremony?” With so many questions in the air, here are some tips and tricks to help you slay your special day.
The first tip comes straight from Ms. Sarah Mast. Ms. Mast has been teaching at RCHS for the past few years and graduated from Rockbridge in 2015.
“Be aware that you will be standing a fair amount, so proceed with caution if you plan to wear high heels. I, as someone who rarely wears heels, wore five inch heels. My feet very much regretted that decision. You want to be able to enjoy the moment without having to focus on the barking dogs, so I would recommend prioritizing comfort in your chosen footwear,” said Mast.
Mrs. Amy Hinkle graduated from Rockbridge in 1994 and shares one thing she wishes she would have known at her graduation.
“One thing I wish I knew back then is that even though graduation is to celebrate your accomplishments, it is also a celebration of your parents, family, teachers, and friends. They supported you for 18 years to get you to this place and they are just as excited about it as you are,” said Hinkle.
Ms. Rebekah Butler, a graduate of Parry McCluer high school in 2014, shares her opinion on the best graduation tip.
“I wish I would have known how much better life is going to get. I was so nervous to graduate, but my life has been so awesome so far. I would love to be able to go back and really soak in the memories of graduation and remember who was there,” said Butler.
Mr. Perry Hardin, an RCHS math teacher and graduate of the class of 2003, gives his advice.
“One tip I have is to cheer and applaud loudly for your friends, especially those with last names in the latter part of the alphabet. You are going to be in front of a big crowd and when your moment to walk comes, it is much more exciting when you feel the support of all the people who were with you along the way,” said Hardin.
He goes on to talk about one thing he wishes he would have known.
“The life you have known up until graduation day will change forever as soon as you walk out of the building. It is almost certainly going to be the last time you will ever be in the same place with all of the people that have been with you for the last 4 years. Take your time, and when the ceremony is over to talk with as many of your peers as you can. Life will take you all in different directions and being able to spend time together like you do now will become way more complicated as the years go on,” said Hardin.
Eleanor Dare, a graduate of RCHS in the class of 2023, shares her advice for graduation day.
“My best advice is to soak in the moment and celebrate because you did it,” said Dare.
Sarah Allen, also a graduate from the class of 2023, shares similar advice.
“Take pictures with any teachers first, then leave quickly. Also do not be too sad because you will see most of your classmates at graduation parties,” said Allen.
Senior Alyson Bell shares some advice she has gotten about graduation day.
“One piece of advice I have learned is to wear cool and comfortable clothing, do not go way out of your comfort zone as something could go wrong,” said Bell.
Overall, the general consensus seems to be that on graduation day, there needs to be focus on enjoying and celebrating your accomplishments instead of being too nostalgic or sentimental. Be sure to watch your seniors in action as they use these tips and graduate May 23 at Virginia Military Institute.
