Graduation checklist
Published on 8 June 12
There is a lot more to do than pick up your certificate and throw your hat in the air – follow this simple checklist to make sure you enjoy the graduation day you deserve
- Confirm you attendance
This is the most important of all – if you haven’t confirmed your attendance already, confirm right now, before you even finish reading the rest of this article.
Follow this link to confirm your attendance at your graduation.
- Double check the date and time of your Graduation ceremony
There are at least three graduation ceremonies every single day during the busy graduation period, sometimes with multiple schools graduating at once. Make sure you don’t get lost in the crowd of robes and turn up on time, for the correct ceremony – you deserve to sit back, relax and soak up the applause, the last thing you want is to be running around late.
You must be dressed in your robes and sat in your allocated seat at least ONE HOUR before your ceremony begins. Click here for detailed instructions about your arrival at Whitworth Hall.
- Your guests
Ticket allocation for will be confirmed online from Monday 2 July.
If you have more guests visiting to celebrate with you than you have tickets for your ceremony, they can still be part of your day. Your ceremony will be screened live in the main lobby of University Place.
If you have guests travelling from abroad, please make sure they have the appropriate visas so they can enjoy their stay. Click here for advice and information on guest visas.
- Travelling and accommodation
Whether you are travelling down for the day or staying over, plan your journey in to campus in advance. There are thousands of students graduating over the two week period, don’t allow traffic congestion to get in the way of your big day.
Why not avoid the queues all together? Come in earlier than your ceremony for lunch, or maybe a coffee - or even glass of champagne. The beautiful Christie’s Bistro is right next door to where your ceremony will take place.
- Photographs, videos and memorabilia
You can take your official graduation photograph at any point during the day, don’t think that it has to be after your ceremony. Once you have your robes, then take the photograph at whatever time suits you – if your ceremony is later in the day, it might be a good idea to cross it off your checklist early on. Similarly, if you have graduated first thing and there is a queue for the photographers, why not go for a coffee with friends and family and come back in half an hour?
And why stop at one photo? Charge up your camera phone or dig out your camera, your guests can take as many photos of you as they like during the ceremony, and there will be plenty of time to pose for photos of you and your friends at your reception after the ceremony.
There is also plenty of memorabilia available from University Place, not just official University souvenirs but also specific items tailored to your day – such as shirts with the names of all your class mates, and personalised champagne. Find out more.
- Enjoy yourself, and give out some hugs
There are probably a lot of people who helped you reach this day, whether that is friends, loved ones, or even a favourite lecturer. Make sure you shake their hand or give them a big hug, and then congratulate yourself too.
It is important to cross the boring bits off this checklist so you don’t get caught up in where to park or forgetting hair grips to fasten your hat on the day – and instead, get caught up in the moment.
You did it!
Well done, and a big thank you for all your contributions to this University.