Can they Already be Finished?
It seems like yesterday that your Osprey was an incoming freshman and now, within a few months, they will be graduating and looking towards the next step in their lives. For some it will be graduate school, for some it may be the military and for some, it may be their first job in the “real” world. Whatever it will be, graduation time is a very prideful and exciting time! Here are some helpful tips and some guidance to ensure that the time for graduation is the most memorable time and not the most stressful.
UNF has three graduations, fall, spring, and summer. Commencement is held in The Arena.
(*This is an unusual and unprecedented year and the situation and circumstances continue to evolve daily. Please start all your planning for any event this Fall by first checking here for the updates directly from UNF’s Emergency Management.*)
The summer commencement will be July 31, 2020.
Where to Stay
You may think six to nine months before graduation is a crazy amount of time to make hotel reservations, however, most local hotels will be sold out for the weekend of graduation so plan ahead. Our hotel blog will give you an up to date and thorough list of hotels in the UNF area. Jacksonville has a large downtown area and St. Augustine is about a 30-minute drive so if you run into an issue with a hotel, you may want to try these areas. Airbnb is another great option when looking for a place for the weekend. You can choose the size accommodation that you need and if an additional family member suddenly decides at the last minute, they want to join you, you won’t be scrambling to find a place for them to stay.
Celebration Reservations
When my son graduated from FSU two years ago, I called a local restaurant six months prior to his graduation and felt a bit foolish when I said I wanted to make a reservation six months in advance. The woman said they already had about ten reservations. So, plan early. Colleges typically release graduation dates months in advance and I would highly recommend making a reservation at your favorite tried and true restaurant. Check out our blog on dinner restaurants and breakfast restaurants. These blogs will give you a ton of choices ranging from expensive to moderate.
Be Camera Ready
Make sure your phones, cameras, video recorders are fully charged. Many times, parents forget to charge their devices and wind up not capturing that special moment. UNF does offer amazing pictures of graduation.
Stay Calm
As I said, this is one of the most enjoyable proud moments in your student’s life; don’t worry about the small things, just enjoy and be present. Just a few other important details about graduation day. If you for any reason you or a family member are not able to get to graduation, UNF offers a live stream so that you can see your child walk across the stage.
Disabled or Special Needs
If your party needs special accommodation at the ceremony because of a visual or hearing disability, please contact the Disability Resource Center, 904-620-2769 or 904-620-2969 (TDD/TTY). Guests with limited mobility should find an usher who will direct them to special seating locations. There will be limited wheelchair seating on the floor. There will be disability accessible buses to shuttle guests to and from the parking lot.
Cap & Gown is Extra
Wondering how much your student will need to pay for the cap and gown which is required if they are walking? UNF candidates wear dark blue gowns with tassel colors varying by degree. Master’s and Doctoral degree candidates wear black robes with black tassels. The hood colors vary by field of study. For Bachelor’s (cap and gown) and Master’s (cap, gown, and hood) regalia, you purchase as a bundle. Bachelor’s cost about and Master’s is about. Doctoral Degree you will want to rent because they are custom and it will set you back quite a bit. All doctoral candidates must wear a hood. Graduate candidates will need to first apply for graduation. Once approved, they can order their regalia online.
Any information that you made need including cap and gown, ticket information, parking, and disability parking information, what to expect and so many more answered questions click on the UNF graduation page.
If you are looking for some special flowers or balloons the following places can supply what you need.
- Ava’s Flowers – offers same-day delivery on bouquets for many different occasions.
- Bouqs – These beautiful flowers come from eco-friendly farms that use sustainable growing practices which means longer lasting flowers and no middlemen. You can buy individually or start a subscription.
- Flower Shopping – family-owned and operated, also offers same-day delivery.
- Balloon Planet – offers awesome balloon bouquets for delivery.
- Send Flowers – has flowers, balloons, and also packages with candy or fruit!
And should you damage, lose or need a replacement diploma, you can request that – it will cost you $10.00.
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