Graduation is an exciting time and you deserve to celebrate! However, with large crowds, coordinating with families from out of town, and trying to celebrate with your friends while studying for finals can all be a little hectic. Let鈥檚 take a minute to go over some tips to help make your day less stressful.
Take Pictures Beforehand
Graduation day gets busy fast, so it's smart to take your photos early鈥攅specially while all your friends are still around. With three different ceremonies and lots of family in town, it鈥檚 easy to get pulled in all directions. Plan ahead, steam your robe and snap up those special shots before the day sweeps everyone up.
The Colonnade and Lincoln Statue are classic photo stops, but they鈥檒l be packed. Try sneaking in early or explore quieter spots like the Union or Shakespeare鈥檚 Garden. And don鈥檛 forget the places that really meant something to you鈥攚hether it鈥檚 the library, TRAC, your favorite study nook, or even your dorm. Those are the photos that will hit home later.
Don鈥檛 forget to check UIS Connection for any student org celebrations happening before the ceremony. The commencement website has a full list of events to help you plan.
Before the Ceremony
Before each ceremony, stop by The Meet Up tent, outside the Student Union, where graduates, faculty and staff can gather, take photos and share a few meaningful moments before the official celebration begins. There will be light refreshments, a spot for mingling and staff on hand to answer any last-minute questions.
馃搷 Campus Central Quad / Tent at the Student Union
鈽� Rain Location: Public Affairs Center, Room 3B
Times:
- Friday, May 9: 5:00 鈥� 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday, May 10: 8:00 鈥� 9:00 a.m.
- Saturday, May 10: 1:00 鈥� 2:00 p.m.
Finding Parking
Give yourself more than enough time for traffic, finding a parking spot and walking into the UIS Performing Arts Center. There will be plenty of signs for parking on commencement day, so just follow the signs. If you have someone in your party with mobility issues, you may drop them at the doors of PAC, which are past the flags. There will be someone to assist them with finding the elevator to floor two.
Ceremony
Graduates should check in one hour before the ceremony, and guests may begin finding their seats. All guests should be seated at least 15 minutes before the ceremony begins. If guests haven鈥檛 taken their seats by then, ushers will open any remaining seats to accommodate families who were not able to get enough tickets.
If your guests can鈥檛 find seats in Sangamon Auditorium, overflow seating with a livestream of the ceremony will be available in PAC 160 and Brookens Auditorium. The livestream will also play in the Student Union and will be available on the commencement website for anyone watching from home or on a mobile device.
Have an exit plan
It can be difficult to locate your loved ones in the crowd after graduation, so it鈥檚 best to have a designated meeting spot outside. Avoid the Colonnade or the Lincoln statue鈥攖hose two will be packed. Instead, choose a quieter location and share it in advance. For example, you could say, 鈥淭he Union is at the opposite end of the quad from the Colonnade. Meet me there in the cafeteria,鈥� or 鈥淕o past the Colonnade and head towards the Koi Pond.鈥� You may even want to send a video or picture in your family group chat to make it easier for everyone to find you.
Don鈥檛 Forget to Celebrate
After all the hard work, late nights, and early classes鈥攜ou鈥檝e made it! Soak in the moment, snap a million pictures, hug everyone twice, and enjoy the celebration. You deserve it.