Remember in high school when everything was taken care of for you? You were assigned your classes for the most part (minus you picking like three electives over the course of your high school career). You took those classes, hopefully passed, and then moved on to graduation. At my high school, they gave you everything you needed. As far as I can remember, everyone got a checklist, ordered everything they wanted including your cap and gown, announcements and even thank-you cards.

Days before graduation, they had everyone line up in a nice, neat, singe-file line to practice walking across the stage to smile and wave at the audience and get your diploma.

Easy right?

Now in college, four years has flown by, and I have no idea what I’m supposed to do for graduation. Don’t get me wrong. By no means am I asking for me to have my hand held through this process, but a little clarification would be nice.

I’ve gone through the checklist for graduation, and it says you first apply for graduation, then pay your graduation fee, do something with “other obligations” and finally all the minimal stuff like cap and gown, places for your family to stay and the mailing of diplomas.

Did I know that you didn’t have to purchase tickets or reserve seats?

No.

Did I know that I was cleared for graduation?

No. (I basically had to look at the lady in the Registrar’s Office dead in her eye to get an accurate answer. Some people don’t find out until two weeks before graduation.)

Did I know that my cap and gown was to be picked up on campus?

Nope.

Because here’s how I’ve seen graduation being handled.

Me: “Hey GSU. Am I graduating? How do I do this?”

GSU: “Meh.”

I would like to say that I’m not complaining, but I am.

We’ve been paying tuition for four years, some more than that, with the intention of graduating. In all honesty, that’s the only reason I am even here.

So, a spring graduation gala is nice but it’s going to take more than a few flyers around campus for us seniors to know the processes of a GSU graduation.

McCoy is a senior journalism major from Powder Springs, Ga. She is the current Arts & Entertainment Editor.