Photo by Pauletta Tohonnie
With graduation looming around the corner, seniors have a long checklist of to-do’s to complete before the long-awaited ceremony. With finals, papers and job searches pending, the last thing you want to worry about is another chore on your plate. But if there’s one thing that seniors can do for themselves, it’s to make sure their grad cap is personalized to make the ceremony just a little more tailored to you and your personality. With a quick trip to any crafts store for some glue, glitter and rhinestones, anybody can accomplish these easy ways to make yourself stand out at the ceremony. Here are some ideas for decorating your grad cap this semester.
Inspirational Quotes
With limited space to say what you want to say, many students rely on the words of those that have come before them. Perhaps no one can sum up your feelings about this transition in your life better than your favorite author or philosopher. Popular quotes from “Oh, the places you’ll go” to “Mischief Managed,” can show off your favorite works of literature while still making a meaningful impact at graduation. If you find yourself struggling to work out what you want to say, perhaps hearken back to your favorite works and see if they have any ideas.
Funny
Rather than be poignant or serious on the day of their graduation, some seniors want to look back at their caps in 10 years and still have a chuckle. While many can be sarcastic and biting, the funniest caps tend to make puns on their favorite shows, celebrities, movies or simply the experience of college itself: “Game of Loans,” Grumpy Cat and “There’s always money in the banana stand” have been popular features on many grad caps over the last couple years, and a simple “Proud of my B.S.” is a sure way to garner some laughs at the ceremony.
Dedications
Graduation is also a time to reflect on the people that have helped you make it to the finish line of college. Many students opt to dedicate their cap to a loved one that has been with them through the journey. Whether painting a large “Thanks Mom and Dad” for your parents to see in the crowd, or decorating your cap to match with your best friend, you can’t go wrong with a poignant dedication to friends or family.
Sarcastic
With the volatile state of the economy and bleak job predictions for college, many grads have decided to take out their frustrations on their cap as a last middle finger to the educational institutions that have made them a little jaded. Many students have taken to putting the amount of money they are now in debt, complaining about their impending unemployment, or, as one grad politely put it: “I’d rather be at Hogwarts.” While these caps can be funny to read, if you were frustrated with your college experience and want to air it out, maybe do it somewhere less permanent than your college graduation cap. You only get to walk once and you don’t want to look back on your college graduation with bitter feelings.
Personalized
Perhaps the most common way to pimp out your grad cap is to tailor it to your interests. If you were involved with a fraternity, sorority, your student newspaper or another organization that defined your college career, put it on your cap. Most grads like to separate their caps into squares and designate one square to a meaningful area of their life. These can be organizations, specific memories, significant others or a best friend. Whatever you choose to do, you can’t go wrong with a grad cap that’s tailored to your individual college experience, and this is the safest route to ensuring you’ll look back on your cap in the future and crack a smile.
Reach the soon-to-be graduate at Lorraine.Longhi@asu.edu
