High School Graduation Etiquette
- Follow proper protocol for assembling invitations. In addition to addressing an outer envelope, you must insert the invitation and name card into a separate inner envelope with the recipient's name written on the outside. You might also want to include your senior photo. A guide to putting all these pieces together properly is available at jostens.com.
Mail invitations three weeks to a month before the event, especially if you are inviting out-of-town guests. You can include your graduation party invitation with the ceremony invitation or mail it separately.
If your school limits the number of guests you can invite, you or your parents should explain to relatives and friends that you cannot include everyone in the ceremony. Do invite them to any post-graduation celebrations you arrange. - Etiquette expert Emily Post says anyone you invite to your graduation should give a gift, whether they attend or not. If you are sending out announcements rather than invitations, however, the recipient is not obligated to send you a present.
Always acknowledge gifts with a hand-written thank-you note. Emails and text messages expressing your appreciation don't count; they are too impersonal. It's a good idea to keep a running list of gifts and their givers to make writing the notes easier. Try to send thank-you notes within a few weeks of receiving the gift. - The cap and gown you wear on graduation day have their own set of rules. You should wear the cap flat on your head with the tassel hanging on the right side. Shift it to the left when you have your diploma in hand.
Your gown should fall somewhere between your knee and ankle. Men should wear a plain, collared shirt, trousers and dress shoes under their gowns. Women can wear a blouse and pants or skirt or a dress not longer than the gown. - The excitement of graduation day causes some graduates and their guests to get carried away. In Bedford County, Tenn., the superintendent had to ask attendees to leave their air horns at home. High schools across the country have reported similar disruptions.
Showing respect is simple. Turn off your cell phone during the ceremony. Don't talk to your classmates, stand up or move around during the commencement address or the diploma ceremony. A handshake and thank you are appropriate acknowledgments when you receive your diploma--not dance moves, rude gestures or shouts. And save the air horns for the party.