Graduation is fast approaching, and although I always thought it would be a time of great happiness and new beginnings, what it’s really turned out to be is just another huge pain in the rear.For those of you who aren’t quite there yet, take my advice and don’t wait until your last quarter to buy your graduation stuff. You’ll have enough to worry about without rushing around ordering announcements, caps, gowns, tassels, cords, and whatever else you’ll need to take that long awaited walk across the stage. If it’s already too late, here are some websites that might make things a little easier.
If you’re tired of funneling money into the UC bookstores, consider ordering your graduation announcements through a local print shop or an Internet site like www.vistaprint.com. At VistaPrint, you can customize your announcements from their selection of over 70 different graduation templates and even download a picture. The best part is you can order as few as 10 announcements (not a minimum of 20 as at the Bookstore) and it’s only $7.99.
If you’d like a nice frame for your diploma, they have a big selection at www.academicapparel.com, and the frames cost about $60 less than the ones you buy through UC.
Planning a graduation party? Get help from a party planning site like /www.party411.com. They offer tons of party products, customized decorations, novelties, invitations, and even life-size photo cut-outs of the new grad. You just pick a theme, customize, and it’s done.
If you’re not graduating, but know someone who is, look to a site that specializes in graduation gifts like www.redenvelope.com or www.shopheaven.com. They have tons of gift ideas broken down by “Him” and “Her,” and you can find something really nice, or something reasonable, according to your budget.
Remember, graduation is supposed to be a time to finally enjoy all the hard work and time you’ve invested into your education. I hope this helps. Congratulations to all you graduates out there.