Navigating Graduation as an Online Student: Celebrating Your Virtual Success
Posted: April 15, 2024 | Author: Abbie Cochrane | Read Time: 6 minutes
In the landscape of higher education, online learning has become an increasingly popular choice for students seeking flexibility and accessibility. As graduation approaches, online students may feel both excited and nervous. Graduation can present unique challenges for online students. From ordering regalia, obtaining tickets for commencement ceremonies and coordinating travel, arrangements may feel overwhelming, especially for students balancing academic responsibilities with work and family commitments. The prospect of attending in-person graduation events may also pose a challenge for online students who reside far from campus or even in different countries.
Despite these challenges, graduation is a great opportunity for online students to recognize the significance of their academic achievements and to celebrate their journey to graduation. Graduation is not just a culmination of coursework; it's a testament to the hard work and perseverance that have brought them to this moment.
Here are some tips to help online students navigate and prepare for the graduation experience so they can have the celebration they deserve.
Check Academic Boxes
First, meet with your academic advisor. This can be as simple as a Zoom meeting. Go over your progress toward graduation outline and make sure you’ve met all the requirements for your program/ major. Talk about your goals in finishing out the semester and double-check that you’ve taken every credit you need. If you’re struggling or just need a little extra help, ask about what academic resources are available. Your advisors are there to help you, and they can help you determine what steps you still need to take before you graduate.
Work Hard–But Take Care of Yourself
The end of the semester–especially your final semester–can be difficult to get through. Pile graduation on top, and that’s an extra stressful situation. As crucial as it is to work hard and finish the semester strong, it’s equally as important to make sure to take care of yourself as deadlines approach. Have a self-care day at least once a week where you relax and do things that bring you joy. Go on a walk, watch your favorite movie or even take a nap. Do something that helps relax and rejuvenate you so you can finish out your college experience on a good note.
Network
Something that you’ll do throughout your entire career is network with other people in your field. It’s a good idea to practice that in college, especially as you prepare to graduate. Write thank you notes to professors you had during your college experience that aided you in your progression. Ask for letters of recommendation from mentors that you connected with to help amplify your resume. And be sure to stay in touch with your friends from your time at college!
Attending Events
Online students are faced with the choice of how and where to celebrate their graduation. Distance and other responsibilities may make attending graduation in person difficult or limited. SUU live streams many graduation events so that graduates, their families and friends can view the celebrations virtually. These live streams can be found in the description of the event on the SUU calendar. Whatever your situation, there are many ways and options for celebrating your achievement of earning a college degree.
Know that your attendance doesn’t have to be all or nothing! Depending on travel plans, comfort levels or other scenarios, you may have to pick some events over others during the days of commencement. Think about which events are most important to you, and make plans to attend those.
Here is a brief overview of the main SUU graduation events to consider attending:
The Commencement Processional is an SUU tradition that graduates won’t want to miss. The excitement is high as students walk West under the Bell Tower, symbolizing the sun setting on their time at SUU.
The Commencement Ceremony is for every graduate. A handful of speakers will address the attendees, potentially including the University President, other employees or graduates, or a keynote speaker. This is where graduates participate in the turning of the tassel.
The individual College Convocations are where graduates' names are called and they walk across the stage and accept their diploma (well, the diploma cover–usually you’ll receive the real thing in the mail shortly after graduation). Other than some brief opening and closing remarks, this event typically doesn’t include much else, as it can take time to announce each graduate.
Whether you choose to participate in virtual or in-person graduation events, host your own graduation celebration with loved ones, or mark the occasion in a more private manner, know that your achievements deserve recognition.
A schedule of graduation events can be found here.
Invite the People in Your Circle
Consider making graduation announcement cards and sending them to the important people in your life. Be sure to include a picture of yourself, as well as information about when and where you’re graduating. You can also mention what you majored/ minored in and any honors you may have received. Also, be sure to invite any family/ friends to the commencement ceremony – one of the best parts of graduation is being able to celebrate it with the people in your circle. And if you don’t have anyone there in person to celebrate with you, know that the entire campus community is here to cheer you on and help you feel special on this big day.
Make Travel Arrangements
If you live far away from campus and are attending graduation in person, you’ll need to make travel arrangements. The Visit Cedar City page can be a great resource for finding places to stay and things to do while in Cedar City. Try to book in advance, as many graduates and families are traveling to Cedar City during graduation week.
Pick Out Your Attire
If you choose to attend the ceremonies in person, it can be fun to pick out your graduation attire! Of course, you’ll have your cap and gown (maybe some chords or a stole as well), but you’ll also get to wear something formal for your graduation day. But don’t wait until the last minute to pick out what you’ll wear! As much as it makes graduation day seem more real, picking out your attire is a super fun part of graduating–and you’ll be able to look back on all the pictures of your graduation day in an outfit that you love.
Navigating Campus If You’ve Never Been
A common concern for online graduates is a lack of familiarity with campus. Unlike in-person students who walk campus nearly every day, online students navigate their academic journey from a distance. Not to mention that some online students are taking classes from different parts of the world. But don’t worry, most campuses have maps both online and across campus. Plus, plenty of employees will be roaming campus and available to give directions.
SUU’s calendar of events includes an interactive map feature that will guide you to the location of each graduation event. See all graduation events here.
Acknowledge and Celebrate Your Work
As the semester comes to a close and your time at college comes to an end, acknowledge all the hard work you put into getting to this point. College is by no means easy, but it can be so rewarding. Appreciate the effort it took to get you here and celebrate it on graduation day! Your journey to graduation may have been different from that of your on-campus peers, but your accomplishments are no less worthy of celebration.
Information about SUU Commencement can be found here. Congratulations to all students graduating this semester! Once a T-Bird, always a T-Bird!
Tags: Student CurStu College Tips Campus Resources Graduation SUU Online
