What can families do to stand out in an audience for a graduation ceremony?

[DisneyNeckCoolers]

Last year I went to a college graduation and I saw some families that really stood out in the crowd and I thought it was great. Some wore the same colored shirts with one letter each spelling the graduate's name. Others had posters. Can you believe I cannot find any other ideas on the internet? Maybe I don't know what to search for. Please help me with ideas. Thanks!

 

[kimblebee]

Start a fist fight?

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Start a fist fight?

Sincerely, Arlington High School, Arlington, TN.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I'm not sure what your point is. Are you concerned that the graduate won't know where you are in the audience? Do you want other parents to notice you for some reason?

We didn't do this (although we threatened to). Our DD21 had no difficulty finding us when we stood up and waved, yelling her name (clearly, we're not shrinking violets). Now, one family had silver mylar balloons, spelling out their graduate's name--that was kind of cute. A couple had signs. But, really, the focus was more on the graduates, not the audience. The jumbotron was focused solely on the podium/stage for the duration.

 

[CarolAnn856]

From the looks of some graduation ceremonies, being respectful, clapping only when asked, not screaming and drawing attention to yourself, and letting the grad have their moment would make you stand out. Thank goodness most of the parents my kids' school have some class.

 

[Disneylover99]

Get there early to get a good seat. Clap loud. Whistle. Give a thumbs up.
Anything beyond that seems like too much work and a bit pretentious to me.

 

[Nancyg56]

IMO, the only ones who should stand out during a graduation ceremony are the graduates. This day is not about how to bring attention to anyone in the audience, and if someone chooses to do so, I find it disrespectful.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I hate the people with signs & other props that block other families' views and the yellers. There are so many graduating, they can't take the time to wait for quiet between each one or it would take forever. Sometimes they are calling the next name while the previous family are acting like fools and ruining it for the next graduate's family.

 

[anniemae]

IMO, the only ones who should stand out during a graduation ceremony are the graduates. This day is not about how to bring attention to anyone in the audience, and if someone chooses to do so, I find it disrespectful.

I never understood the need for families to stand out in the audience. I don't understand why families can't just clap, quickly stand up, cheer etc. It's like everyone has to out-do each other, "see how proud we are of OUR child?????" "see how much work WE put into our grad's moment?" IMO the time to do this stuff is at the graduation party. That is all about the graduate, so get balloons, signs, confetti etc. and save it for the party. The ceremony is about all the graduates, with each getting a small window of recognition. Not the time for hoopla IMO.

Not saying OP is like this, just life in general. Parents trying to constantly "out-do" each other. Bigger birthday parties, bigger school projects etc. It's the pinterest effect I think! LOL!

 

[mom2rtk]

I would never do that to my kid. The day is about the graduate. Eyes don't need to be on you.

 

[piccolopat]

If you want to wear the same brightly colored shirts, fine. Anything you decide on should be respectful of the graduates and the other families. Standing, yelling, whistles, balloons, air horns, etc. are not acceptable if it means the next family can't hear their child's name announced or they can't see their child walk across the stage because of you. The focus has to be on the graduates, not on attention seeking family members.

 

[Southernmiss]

I'm in the clap and cheer camp.

Though at ds's recent college graduation some people 2 rows in front of us had small pompom sticks in the school's colors that they shook as their graduates graduated. It was something I hadn't seen before, was small, quiet and not obnoxious like air horns and other methods. I found it rather cute and appropriate.

Anyone ever notice how obnoxious behavior intensifies the further into the list of graduates you get? The first graduates friends/families are reserved and then it just gets crazier after.

 

[Poohforyou]

My one and only is graduating from high school this year. I get wanting to make it a special memory but also respect and understand that it isn't all about my kid.

Our school actually doesn't allow signs, balloons, etc to be brought in and I fully support that.

Imagine the chaos if every family came in with signs, balloons, etc.

Go, clap, take pictures and let your grad know how proud you are.

 

[aprilgail]

I would never do that to my kid. The day is about the graduate. Eyes don't need to be on you.

I agree! Why would people in the stands need the attention shifted to themselves- the day is about the kid that put in the work to graduate and attention and eyes should be on them!!

 

[luvsJack]

Went to my niece and nephew's graduation recently. They ask each family to stand as their graduates name is called. I thought that was nice.

Everyone did cheer for their grad but they are able to space them apart enough and everyone is conscious of making a quick cheer and being quite before the next name.

The university seems to have more families that want to stand out. But from what I have see it's usually matching shirts or something unobtrusive.

At our community college graduation, there are families with ballooons but most are actually part of a gift for the graduate. And there is quite a bit of cheering for each grad. But I get it. A lot of these grads are the first in their family to go to college. Plus quite a few are now finished and moving on to a great career in their chosen field. And the program they just finished is quite intensive and requires a lot of support from the family.

I have noticed in the past few years at all of these graduations, there is a trend for the graduates to be instructed to give their family a hand or some recognition as their support through high school, cc or university.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Went to my niece and nephew's graduation recently. They ask each family to stand as their graduates name is called. I thought that was nice.

Everyone did cheer for their grad but they are able to space them apart enough and everyone is conscious of making a quick cheer and being quite before the next name.

The university seems to have more families that want to stand out. But from what I have see it's usually matching shirts or something unobtrusive.

At our community college graduation, there are families with ballooons but most are actually part of a gift for the graduate. And there is quite a bit of cheering for each grad. But I get it. A lot of these grads are the first in their family to go to college. Plus quite a few are now finished and moving on to a great career in their chosen field. And the program they just finished is quite intensive and requires a lot of support from the family.

I have noticed in the past few years at all of these graduations, there is a trend for the graduates to be instructed to give their family a hand or some recognition as their support through high school, cc or university.

I thought that was what the mortarboards were for! Seriously, at my DD21's graduation (last weekend), there were many more decorated mortarboards than there were posters or other decorations in the stands. DD is an education major, so hers said, "You believed in me, so I can believe in them (thanks, Mom and Dad)" There were several education references, with my second favorite being "Class Dismissed!"

In all honesty, I don't think recognizing parents would have worked at DD's college graduation. Her school does smaller ceremonies for the individual colleges, then a huge graduation for the entire class. We only attended the smaller one. There were more graduate degrees (master's and PhD's) than undergrads. I think at that level, parental support is less of a thing. Not that parents aren't supportive, but generally, these are students who have been independent for years, if not decades. At the huge graduation, the undergrads don't even walk, they just sit (although DD was on the jumbotron twice, she said). Luckily, they didn't catch her snoozing!

 

[DisneyNeckCoolers]

I actually agree that it it's all about the graduate. I wanted something to show off the graduate without blocking others' views. The matching shirts were cute but I wanted to see if there were other ideas.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

one family had silver mylar balloons,

Imagine the chaos if every family came in with signs, balloons, etc.

I really hated this. I mean, if you want to take balloons, then sit in the back. They have no regard for those seated behind them (especially in tiered seating) being about to see anything going on.

What's wrong with just going to watch the ceremony? A little decorum is nice.

At all 3 graduation ceremonies we've attended, the audience was asked NOT to applaud individual graduates. Well, that didn't go far. People stood up, yelled, used air horns when their graduate's name was called. And, with over 1000 kids in the class that reallllllly prolongs the whole process. Or, if they just keep announcing names while all that's going on, you miss your child's name (happened to us).

 

[RedAngie]

"Look at Me! I will not go unnoticed! LOOK AT ME!!!!"

 

[aprilgail]

I thought that was what the mortarboards were for! Seriously, at my DD21's graduation (last weekend), there were many more decorated mortarboards than there were posters or other decorations in the stands. DD is an education major, so hers said, "You believed in me, so I can believe in them (thanks, Mom and Dad)" There were several education references, with my second favorite being "Class Dismissed!"

!

LOL- I like class dismissed- for my daughters high school graduation she is doing "nevertheless she persisted"