Dwindling Numbers and Gearing Up for Commencement
It’s finally getting to the “hot” stage in our weather year. We have been around the mid-80s both yesterday and today, as well as sunny. For those students who have already left campus for Post Exams/Beach Week, they must be enjoying some fine weather.
The number of students on campus is dwindling as finals come to an end. And the number of parents and family members on campus is increasing as they come to help move out their students. (Special thanks to the kind Daily Deac readers I chatted with in Starbucks today!)
Because Commencement is only 12 days away, we are starting to get some questions for P’15 graduating families about the weekend’s events. Your best place to go for information about Commencement weekend is our Commencement web site: http://commencement.wfu.edu/
The schedule of activities is here: http://commencement.wfu.edu/schedule/. Your son or daughter may have ideas about which events he/she wants to attend, so it would be a good idea for you to talk your graduate about what he/she wants to do and which events you’d attend.
Some of our students (but certainly not all) attend the Baccalaureate Ceremony on Sunday morning. It is similar to a worship service. Students do not sit with their parents, they march in wearing their caps and gowns and sit as a group (no mention of them by name or anything like that). It is very important to note that space for Baccalaureate is limited, and you’ll want to take note of all the information here so you understand about availability of seats: http://commencement.wfu.edu/baccalaureate/. When the doors open at 9:30 for families who have queued in the line to get in, you will want to line up in advance of 9:30 for seats. (And unfortunately I can’t tell you an exact time to get in line to guarantee you will get in. Supply and demand for Baccalaureate vary from year to year. I believe I have seen people in years past lining up at 8 am but it varies every year.)
Many of our students and parents go to the departmental open houses on Sunday afternoon. Those give students a chance to visit with the faculty members in their major and introduce their families to them.
Formal graduation exercises (Commencement) is Monday morning. More information is available here: http://commencement.wfu.edu/graduation-exercises/
The Commencement web site also has a Checklists and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) that may be helpful: http://commencement.wfu.edu/checklists-and-faqs/
Now the informal advice from me.
– Bring some paper towels or a washcloth from your hotel (return it of course) to wipe the dew off your chairs. Even though our Facilities team and Commencement volunteer staff try to wipe down seats, you might wish to do it yourself.
– Pay attention to the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Consider layers that you can add or remove as you see fit. In the sun, it can be quite hot, but if it’s a cool day it can be quite cool.
– Wear sunscreen. 3 hours outdoor is a long time and I have seen many a sunburn from people who wished they’d had sunscreen.
– Leave your fanciest shoes at home. The grass will be wet with dew, and 10,000ish people will be treading the same paths to get to and from their seats. Even with the amazingly lush grass we have, those paths can get muddy. If you don’t want your most expensive, dressiest shoes to potentially be wet or muddy or grass stained, bring a different pair.
– Consider the comfort of older relatives. My grandmother wanted very much to see me graduate, but she was very sensitive to too much heat and sun, and was not able to walk a long ways. While we do our best to make everyone comfortable, if you have relatives for whom an outdoor event would not be good for them, consider that before you all come. Each family needs to make the decision that is best for them. There is a live feed of Commencement into Pugh Auditorium (in the Benson Center), which is indoors and a great option for folks who may not waish to be outside, are sun sensitive, need closer access to restrooms, etc. Space is limited.
– Speaking of bathrooms…some of the Quad residence halls and Reynolda Hall are open, but there will be lines. (We may also have portojohns, though I don’t know that yet). To avoid lines, you might consider going to the Benson Center (a short walk) or Scales Fine Arts Center (closer to the Quad) if you don’t want to wait. Because we read every student’s name, you will be able to see how long it takes as they begin and can plan your restroom break accordingly.
And for those of you who believe in a higher power, please send prayers and supplications for a mildly sunny day, 72-75 degrees, with a light breeze. That is optimal Commencement weather.