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Original poster

How Did You Make Your DC Graduation Special

58 replies

Lbet · 27/07/2025 07:47

My sons graduation is next week and I am so looking forward to it.

What did you all do on your DC day to make it special?

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 27/07/2025 10:50

BlessicaBlimpson · 27/07/2025 07:55

Took him for a nice lunch.

Didn't go on about my graduation or made the day all about me.

Didn't talk about him getting a job or future plans.

Was polite to his friends and didn't embarrass him.

That's it Wink

That's pretty much what we did, except that DD's slot was the last one of the day and we took her and her partner out for an evening meal. It was all a bit of a rush as the next day was her birthday and the day after was moving out day. No flowers because of moving out and nowhere to keep them.

I took lots of photos as well.

TheFallenMadonna · 27/07/2025 10:50

I did a bit of early morning nagging to make sure he turned up on time with an ironed shirt. Cried a bit when I saw him in his gown. Cheered loudly when he had his walking across the stage moment. Made him traipse across the campus for multiple photos. Hugged him in front of his supervisor. Took him for an early dinner then left him to go celebrate some more with his friends. Generally was about as proud of him as I could be without actually bursting, and obviously so. It's special because it's special!

KingscoteStaff · 27/07/2025 10:51

Graduation was 11 - met DS beforehand and (on request) sorted his tie!
Had booked lunch afterwards with 3 other of his friends and families and (small university city) turned out that they knew pretty much all of the other people in the restaurant! Finally rolled out of restaurant at 4ish, when all the young went back up to the cathedral to meet other friends coming out of the final graduation.
Evening his band was playing at the graduation ball so went (briefly!) and took some really lovely informal photos.
Back to hotel and then picked up carload of his stuff in the morning as he was staying up for a couple of days.
Don’t overdress!!! And flat shoes!!!

TheFallenMadonna · 27/07/2025 10:54

KingscoteStaff · 27/07/2025 10:51

Graduation was 11 - met DS beforehand and (on request) sorted his tie!
Had booked lunch afterwards with 3 other of his friends and families and (small university city) turned out that they knew pretty much all of the other people in the restaurant! Finally rolled out of restaurant at 4ish, when all the young went back up to the cathedral to meet other friends coming out of the final graduation.
Evening his band was playing at the graduation ball so went (briefly!) and took some really lovely informal photos.
Back to hotel and then picked up carload of his stuff in the morning as he was staying up for a couple of days.
Don’t overdress!!! And flat shoes!!!

Oh yes - DH did his tie! A half windsor. May have teared up a bit then too...

Roseblooms7 · 27/07/2025 11:02

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 27/07/2025 10:14

I've had four graduate and I've never really tried to 'make it special'. I took them for a nice lunch before the ceremony but that was all. They'd all got their own lives by then, as graduation was a while after Uni finished, so they'd found somewhere to live and jobs and were more interested in meeting up with their friends again than mum making the day particularly fluffy for them.

We still all managed to have a great time.

God how depressing.

OP my DCs was a fortnight ago. My Mum and I booked an Airbnb for a couple of nights. Luckily the sun shone down on us and Bath Abbey was amazing. Booked The Ivy after and DD BF met us there. Had a couple of glasses of champagne at a reception they held for them afterwards. It was the most wonderful day celebrating DC achievements. Take lots of photographs too as the day goes fast. Have a lovely time.

titchy · 27/07/2025 11:07

Just to warn OP (and others…) you’ll not likely be able to book a nice restaurant (and hotel if you have to travel) that’s nearby unless you did it ages ago….

KingscoteStaff · 27/07/2025 11:07

TheFallenMadonna · 27/07/2025 10:54

Oh yes - DH did his tie! A half windsor. May have teared up a bit then too...

Show quote history

I have framed the photo of this moment in double frame with one of DH doing DS’s tie for a wedding when he was 6. Facial expression exactly the same 15 years on!

herbalteabag · 27/07/2025 11:12

titchy · 27/07/2025 11:07

Just to warn OP (and others…) you’ll not likely be able to book a nice restaurant (and hotel if you have to travel) that’s nearby unless you did it ages ago….

Good point. Looking back I remember we'd booked them both months before.

mamagogo1 · 27/07/2025 11:19

had lunch at a place of their choosing and included their dad (split up 3 years earlier) which wasn’t completely necessary but felt right to invite him (had extra tickets so my parents were there as well) but don’t over think it, let your dc be the lead, they may prefer to hang out with friends than do whatever you think is making it special.

for divorced parents though I do recommend if possible putting differences aside and showing your dc a united front, that meant a lot to my dc and was good practice for future events like elder dcs wedding!

ooooohlala · 27/07/2025 11:51

Thinking back to my graduation, I agree with the ‘be low key but super happy’ approach.

My mum mad a big deal of it, randomly bringing photos of me at all ages and showing them to everyone she met. She was incredibly proud, but it was so embarrassing.

viques · 27/07/2025 11:55

Turned up, managed to take poor picture of her walking across the stage, went to a lunch in a rather expensive restaurant, can’t remember what we ate but saw a mouse run across the floor!

blobby10 · 27/07/2025 11:57

Wow I feel so mean now!! Mine just got a meal out afterwards - I did buy the posh photo package and their dad (my exH) dressed up v smartly for photos on both occasions. DD didn't get flowers or anything. TBH we had funded them both through 3 and 4 years of a degree course so felt that was enough! When DS did his masters we only had the photo of him as he had self funded it but still had the day with him and took him for a meal afterwards.

MargaritaPracticallyCan · 27/07/2025 12:07

DS graduated recently, it was the most lovely of days. He wanted close family there, DH and me, his uncle and aunts, his grandpa (mum/his nan died a year ago), plus his girlfriend and two close friends. DH and I watched in the hall, everyone else watched the livestream from a lecture theatre nearby.)
He and his gf organised everything, from where to meet for coffee beforehand, where to take the best photos, some fizz after the ceremony, a short walk to see local sights, they booked the restaurant (we paid, obv!)
We just enjoyed the day, were there in supportive/proud family mode, it was so lovely to be the guests rather than the organisers.

Radioundermypillow · 27/07/2025 12:11

blobby10 · 27/07/2025 11:57

Wow I feel so mean now!! Mine just got a meal out afterwards - I did buy the posh photo package and their dad (my exH) dressed up v smartly for photos on both occasions. DD didn't get flowers or anything. TBH we had funded them both through 3 and 4 years of a degree course so felt that was enough! When DS did his masters we only had the photo of him as he had self funded it but still had the day with him and took him for a meal afterwards.

I don't think many on here have done any differently? Dd asked for a small bunch of flowers, which cost 7 from a supermarket. I also bought her a paperback book.

fortyfifty · 27/07/2025 12:51

For us just being there and all celebrating DD for the day was enough. We had a long day due to the timings and so she was in her gown for a long time, milling about the city. Grandparents stayed in the city too and joined us after the ceremony and reception for drinks and a meal. DD didn't stop smiling all day and it felt special enough. She did get a graduation present from us but already had that.

LetMeGoogleThat · 27/07/2025 12:53

Coffee and pastries when we arrived, went to his pub choice after and didn't scream like I was at a footie match during the ceremony (sooo many did 😳) went for an early dinner afterwards. Basically, let him choose and I wore a niace dress.

fortyfifty · 27/07/2025 12:55

Also, as others have said, they will want to see their friends too, so we left her to it at times and just told her where we would be when she was ready.

2chocolateoranges · 27/07/2025 12:56

We bought him a new suit to wear, got him a lovely gift, Dh and I attended the ceremony, my mum and dd attended the student union to watch it on live stream , he got professional photons taken , the 5 of us attended the university drinks reception, we took some family photos in the gardens then we went for dinner at a restaurant of his choice. His was a morning graduation.

dd graduates next year and it’s a mid afternoon graduation .

RedRec · 27/07/2025 12:58

If there is the remotest chance of rain and you have a daughter who is making a massive effort with hair and make up, etc., buy her a beautiful brolly. I did and we got the most gorgeous brolly photos of her. Made up for it being the rainiest day of the summer!

Turnups · 27/07/2025 12:58

Don’t do anything very "special" - you’ll just embarrass her. Smart clothes and a nice meal out, perhaps with a toast, are all you need.

ramonaquimby · 27/07/2025 13:05

RatherTardy · 27/07/2025 08:05

I took 2 bottles of fizz and picnic wine glasses for the photos

Edited

SUCH a great idea! We were at DC's graduation ceremony last week and were envious of the families who had done this

ramonaquimby · 27/07/2025 13:17

Agree with most people, we were guided by DC, were ready when we needed to be, had booked a nice restaurant for evening meal, pictures after ceremony with family and their friends in places they wanted them. Had a break in afternoon (they stayed out with friends) and met up in evening for drinks/dinner. Was a lovely day

MrsAvocet · 27/07/2025 17:54

Well we'll be giving DS his choice of services on the A1M for his post graduation meal. 😂 It's a 5 hour drive home so we'll be hitting the road as soon as it's over. If we go at all that is. I asked him today if he'd booked his academic dress and the answer was no. I have a feeling he's missed the deadline so I've told him to phone tomorrow and if it is too late then he needs to return the tickets then someone else can get extras.
I don't think he really wants to go and I'm certainly not going to force him.

TabbyCatInAPoolofSunshine · 27/07/2025 18:05

Cynic17 · 27/07/2025 10:07

Be guided by your adult child. They may think it's all a massive pain in the backside, and not want it to be "special". So don't embarrass them or gush over them, and don't take lots of photos.
Don't overdress - it's not a wedding. Smart and discreet is fine.
If they are happy with an element of fuss, ask them to pick a restaurant and you pay for a decent lunch!

Edited

This - at my own I remember a lot of us thinking it was something we had to attend for our parents. We'd done our real celebrating together on results day.

My own eldest felt somewhat similar, especially as there was some upset about a friend who'd unexpectedly failed one of her final exams so couldn't graduate until retaking the following year (vocational degree not in the UK, there was quite a high failure rate and apparently always is). We went for lunch afterwards. Don't overdress, just look presentable - there's always one relative or family who seem to think they're the main characters.

Edited for sense!

22O725 · 27/07/2025 18:08

I asked what his plans were, rather than assuming he would be with us the whole day. The original plan was for him to go for a meal with friends but the other parents vetoed it so we ended up having a family meal and he went with friends the next day.