As graduation approaches, students are scrambling to tie loose ends and prepare themselves for the real world.
"The graduation ceremony is a long-lived and important Auburn tradition for students and their families," according to the graduation website (www.auburn.edu/graduation). "We hear from them that it is a meaningful event."
The graduation ceremony will be taking place in the Auburn Arena Dec. 13.
"I think it's a pretty good idea to do it in December because I feel that the graduating class would be smaller, so they can get a handle on it," said Amy Bohan, graduating senior in animal science and pre-vet. "So starting it for the smaller graduating class allows them to maybe prepare and fix things for the bigger graduating class in the spring."
Students are not limited to the number of guests they can invite.
Taylor LeGette, graduating senior in psychology, said she plans to invite 12 family members to the ceremony because she is the first person in her family to graduate from college.
Bohan, on the other hand, invited close family and her boyfriend.
Students are expected to arrive at the arena 45 minutes before their ceremony and sit with their college.
This system allows for more organization and gives every student their earned recognition.
Auburn will host two graduation ceremonies for select colleges. The first is at 10 a.m., and the second is at 2 p.m. The website says the ceremony won't be longer than two hours.
"The end of the ceremony is when new bachelor degree recipients switch their tassels, sing the alma mater and, after the stage guests and faculty recess, celebrate in unison," said the gradation committee.
The University wants to promote an atmosphere of pride, dignity and safety.
"I'm pretty excited about it," LeGette said. "Auburn is a pretty awesome school, and we are ranked pretty high. Not just in football, but for academics as well, so I think graduating in something that's new, modern and nice would be rather appropriate for a graduation class of Auburn University."
However, LeGette said preparing for graduation on top of finals and the Graduate Record Examination is stressful, but worth it.
The graduation website explained students started preparing for the commencement months ago. Students ordered caps and gowns in October.
"It's an honorable recognition and a little celebration for our hard work and dedication, not only to the University, but to what we are going to be able to contribute to the world and to society afterwards," LeGette said.
LeGette will be graduating earlier than planned with the academic distinction of magna cum laude. She said she "kicked butt" to be where she is now.
Bohan said the ceremony will be memorable.
"It's just the ending of one chapter and the beginning of something else," Bohan said.
After the ceremony, students will pick up diplomas at the Student Activities Center.
"That diploma is a $40,000 piece of paper," LeGette said. "I'm going to charge an admission fee just for people to come and look at it."
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