Graduation

Graduations are mostly emotional occasions for anyone, whether they’re taking part or just attending. Since there are going to be plenty of graduation ceremonies taking place over the coming few days, we thought we’d shed light on some of the traditions, why people wear robes and caps, and why the hell do they throw them up in the air?

Why Do We Throw Our Caps in the Air?

Well, we have the U.S. Navy to thank for that! Basically, what happened was that the 1912 graduating class of the Naval Academy had received their new officers’ hats during the ceremony. To express their excitement, they threw their graduation caps in the air and replaced them with their new uniforms. Soon after, other students started doing it.degrassi-graduation-hat-toss

Why Do We Wear a Cap and Gown?

In the past, the only place you could get a college education in the West was the church which is why the cap and gown kind of looks like what a bishop would wear. The cap is actually called a mortar board, because it looks like the board that brick layers use when laying bricks; it’s also believed to be related to the old Roman church dress.beiber-graduation-hat

Where Do Graduation Speakers Come From?

If you’ve ever attended a commencement before, chances are a fellow alumni has given a speech at the ceremony. But where do these people come from, you might ask? Well, sometimes the speaker is doing a favor for the school! But most times, they’re paid to speak at the ceremony and usually the university provides for everything from their transportation fees to hotel accomodation if the speaker is a foreigner! A speaker’s fees can range between $25,000-$100,000 in the U.S. depending on who it is.14632229234713-giphy

Who Was the First Person to Get an Honorary Degree?

Lionel Woodvill of Oxford University in the year… 1478!

Are Graduations Different Across the World?

Yes, they are! In Russia, they actually call a graduation the last bell because it’s the last school bell you’ll ever hear! While in Argentina they throw eggs and flour at the graduate in celebration.grad

Well! Now that you know all about the origins of these graduation rituals, you won’t need to ask why you have to do all these things before you graduate!