With just a little over a week until the 2026 senior class graduates from Elkhorn South, grad parties leave most people’s weekends fully booked. Though this time of year is unusually busy, this year feels more packed than prior times. Likely being a result of me myself being a senior, I have what feels like hundreds of parties to attend and hours worth of planning to do for my own party. Even though it undoubtedly provides enough stress to go around, grad season can be fun if you know the right way to approach this busy time. Whether you are a guest or graduate yourself, it can significantly help to map out a plan going into the grad party season.
- Organization: One, if not the most important part of preparing for grad party season is organization. When planning your own party you must order early, double check everything, have every detail figured out, and schedule accordingly. Grad parties are a way to celebrate all that the graduate has done to get to this moment in their lives. It is significant that it is perfect for them and all that they envisioned. As a guest, you must keep all the grad parties organized. The best method to knowing who’s grad parties are when, where, and how long are to mark them in your calendars. I find it extremely helpful to put the name of the person, the time frame, and the address of where it is in my calendar. Having it marked online on your phone in addition to the physical copy of the invite is very helpful as you can easily access all the information and keep track of everything. Part of being organized is spacing out and planning how much time you spend where. On many occasions a plethora of grad parties end up being on the same day, so in order to catch them all, one must divide up their time at certain parties.
- Outfits: Once you have organized your whereabouts and schedule, you must now dress yourself for the occasion. Since many pictures will be taken to remember this moment, grad parties require a semi-fancy attire. Depending on the person, theme, etc. one could wear a variety of clothing. Outfits can sometimes be as simple as jeans/denim skirts to long skirts, short dresses, long dresses, etc. Ideally it would be nice to wear a similar color scheme as the party, but most times this is difficult to achieve. My personal favorite form of grad party attire is a short dress with dressy sandals. The graduate can wear whatever their heart desires, but a majority of the time they are seen matching the decorations of their party. Overall, you know what they say “look good, feel good.”
- Food: One of the things I treasure most about grad parties: the food. Though celebrating the graduate is the number one priority and motivator, the party food is a close second. I have only attended a few parties yet this season and I am already happy with the food range I have indulged in. There is so much creativity and freedom allowed when selecting what food to have at your party. Although, you also need to manage the speed and amount that you eat. Sometimes our eyes are more hungry than our stomachs and we eat too fast or too much. This can result in an upset stomach very quickly. This is very dangerous, especially on a day in which you have a multitude of parties. So, dive in at your own risk, but never lead a grad party on an empty stomach.
- Gifts: Gifts will always be expected by the celebrated, but they aren’t always expected from the guest. Unless you are family or very close to the person, you don’t necessarily need to get them a gift. Common grad party gifts are money, gift cards, college items, or sentimental items. Though this isn’t an expectation of all guests, receiving gifts still is warming to the heart. If not providing a physical present, something as simple as a nice letter would still be welcomed. If you are not to even bring a letter, be sure to write a nice note for them in their signing book or whatever setup they may have. This way they can know you were in attendance and that you support them.
As the class of 2026 is soon to depart and grad parties occupy every last bit of free time, it is important to prioritize those graduates who have made it to this significant milestone in their life. With the information and tips I have provided, I hope everyone goes into this grad party season prepared and looking forward to it with a positive mindset. Enjoy and celebrate the company of those who are departing, as this may be your last encounter with a majority of them.
