April is by far the craziest month in the life of any graduating gal. Final exams are the only thing standing between you and that diploma and summer is the only thing on your mind. BUT after the exams and before summer comes your graduation ceremony, and with that comes a whole bunch of things you need to get done before you strut your stuff across that stage!
1. Finalizing travel arrangements with the friends and family coming to see you walk in the midst of all the ensuing chaos, the very last thing you need is someone showing up to your apartment a day earlier than you expected. Make sure there is no confusion and that everyone is on the same page when it comes to arriving, leaving, and staying.Â
2. Clean your house because when you’re running late for your ceremony with curling wand in hand, hearing your mom scream in disgust over the amount of dust on your ceiling fan is going to result in you burning your face off.
3. Make reservations—You and your posse are going to be starving after your 13 hour long graduation. This means harsh competition for who can get a table at virtually any restaurant you can think of. It’s important you know that not all restaurants take reservations for graduation weekend, even if they do on a regular basis. Most have a call ahead policy as well as a limited set menu. You are definitely going to want to tackle this before the big day.
4. Shoes!! During the ceremony, your shoes are the focal point of your outfit. Of course you will have a super cute outfit on underneath your gown, but the shoes are the only thing that the majority of people are going to see. Make sure they are comfortable and you feel confident walking in them because the last thing you want is to trip in front of such a huge audience!
5. Pictures—You are undoubtedly going to want a hefty amount of pictures commemorating this great day. However, you probably want to actually take the pictures before you graduate. Everyone is going to be crowding all the campus landmarks the day of, so go the week before when you have your cap and gown. This way you can take your time and avoid the horde.
6. Do everything you never got the chance to! Now is the time to go eat at that Tallahassee restaurant you always passed but never tried. Go to the museum you heard so much about. Explore parts of campus you’ve never been on. Soak up the last bit of your favorite places around town. Go visit your favorite teacher. Soak up the sun on Landis and take a dip in the Westcott fountain. Revel in those last sweet moments of your life as an undergrad. Life in the fast lane is upon you, so I suggest you take in every last bit of college you can get!Â