Senior year ideas...

[Sneezyone]

DD is in the last five months of her junior year and we're gearing up for the big apps push and all that. I feel like this is the ideal time to gather some ideas and suggestions for neat, special, unusual things you did to celebrate your graduates...BEFORE the chaos of fall/winter.

I'll go first. I am seriously thinking about recreating the iconic Queen album cover with DD standing in for Freddie Mercury. Insane? Maybe. Also super iconic in her senior ad/announcement. Launching DD is a big thing/change for our tight-knit family.

What did you do to celebrate your grad?

[Kareni]

56 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

I am seriously thinking about recreating the iconic Queen album cover with DD standing in for Freddie Mercury.

Is your daughter a Queen fan? If yes, I say go for it!

Regards,

Kareni

[Sneezyone]

Just now, Kareni said:

Is your daughter a Queen fan? If yes, I say go for it!

Regards,

Kareni

She could be, lol! She loves music and would enjoy the lyrics. I love the idea of featuring her in the shot. She's what made us a family, ya know? She's also gonna be missed...SOOOOOO much!

[athena1277]

At our cover school’s graduation, each graduates family makes a slide show set to music showing pictures of them growing up.  You could do something like that or even collect the pictures and have a book made.  
 

We also took a last family vacation just before dd left for college. 
 

Also, if you shop right after New Years next year, you can get lots of stuff with the year on it cheap.  Then use then to decorate for a graduation party.

[Sneezyone]

1 minute ago, athena1277 said:

At our cover school’s graduation, each graduates family makes a slide show set to music showing pictures of them growing up.  You could do something like that or even collect the pictures and have a book made.  
 

We also took a last family vacation just before dd left for college. 
 

Also, if you shop right after New Years next year, you can get lots of stuff with the year on it cheap.  Then use then to decorate for a graduation party.

Thanks! I think we're gonna do her gathering in our backyard and invite the neighbors so I have my eye on an outdoor projector, lol. DH, for the record, is horrified.

[catz]

One fun thing we did that spring was visit a couple final contenders for college and really made a vacation out of it.  Visited the fun restaurants, looked up touristy stuff on the road, made some memories, bought the college swag.  Very exciting!  ❤️  

[MEmama]

13 minutes ago, catz said:

One fun thing we did that spring was visit a couple final contenders for college and really made a vacation out of it.  Visited the fun restaurants, looked up touristy stuff on the road, made some memories, bought the college swag.  Very exciting!  ❤️  

That was our plan, too—a trip to tour various universities in the UK and Ireland. But, of course, it was 2020. 😞 

 

[catz]

2 minutes ago, MEmama said:

That was our plan, too—a trip to tour various universities in the UK and Ireland. But, of course, it was 2020. 😞 

 

Such a bummer!  My high school jr hasn't done any college tours yet since her older brother went.  I'm crossing fingers we can be cut a break for a bit this spring!

[MEmama]

2 minutes ago, catz said:

Such a bummer!  My high school jr hasn't done any college tours yet since her older brother went.  I'm crossing fingers we can be cut a break for a bit this spring!

Fingers crossed for her! It’s such a huge part of the process.

We were lucky DS insisted on starting doing tours after his sophomore year and fall of junior year before Covid. The importance of seeing campuses irl just can’t be overstated, in his experience. He learned so much about himself and what he truly wanted (and then ended up on another continent completely sight unseen lol!). 

[Sneezyone]

21 minutes ago, MEmama said:

That was our plan, too—a trip to tour various universities in the UK and Ireland. But, of course, it was 2020. 😞 

13 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Fingers crossed for her! It’s such a huge part of the process.

We were lucky DS insisted on starting doing tours after his sophomore year and fall of junior year before Covid. The importance of seeing campuses irl just can’t be overstated, in his experience. He learned so much about himself and what he truly wanted (and then ended up on another continent completely sight unseen lol!). 

ITA. We took a chance and did some road trip visits to FL, NC and GA colleges last summer while moving DH to/from VA to FL. I was afraid we'd not get another chance. We also went to MD and laid over at bestie's house in DC. We're cheap like that, lol. It was a great summer and REALLY clarified her preferences. We/*I* have a MUCH better idea what she wants and how to help her get it.

Edited January 27, 2022 by Sneezyone

[MEmama]

3 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

ITA. We took a chance and did some road trip visits to FL, NC and GA colleges last summer while moving DH to/from VA to FL. I was afraid we'd not get another chance. We also went to MD and laid over at bestie's house in DC. We're cheap like that, lol. It was a great summer and REALLY clarified her preferences. We/*I* have a MUCH better idea what she wants band how to help her get it.

I'm so glad you had that experience! 🙂 Sounds awesome! 

[Sneezyone]

1 minute ago, MEmama said:

I'm so glad you had that experience! 🙂 Sounds awesome! 

It sucked for me, FTR, lots of cooking in hotel 'kitchens', but memories were made and goals were accomplished. 🙂 LOL.

[Faith-manor]

We were not part of a homeschool group so we didn't have group things to fall back on.

For dd, we gave her a night in Detroit, the ballet (best seats in the house), four star restaurant, etc. She was accompanied by my sister and sis's fiancee. She wasn't dating at the time, and asked her older male cousin to go. They were very close. Cousin wore a tux, dd and sis had evening gowns, and fiancee had on his dress uniform (Army Captain). They made for a great looking group. We had very good photos taken.

When she graduated, she wanted a special ceremony at home that was also her music recital. We invited 50 people, and had a buffet finger food reception afterward. When the guests had thinned out sufficiently, we had ballroom dancing. (With 50, there wasn't enough room so we started that later in the evening.)

None of our sons wanted any kind of bells and whistles. It was hard to get them to agree to senior photos. But they did want to travel so each of them got a road trip. They are the three musketeers and  wanted the others along so it ended with three road trips in four years with all three of them! The graduating senior got to choose the destination and activities from a list of financial possibilities that we proposed. We had a small dinner with just closest extended family so grandparents and aunts and uncles could celebrate. They are doing it again this spring. Two have graduated in the last three years but did not want to attend their commencements. Youngest graduates this spring. So as their combined college graduation gift, another big vacation together.

E.T.A. We also took each one to personally visit each of the universities on their individual short lists.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Faith-manor

[Sneezyone]

41 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

We were not part of a homeschool group so we didn't have group things to fall back on.

For dd, we gave her a night in Detroit, the ballet (best seats in the house), four star restaurant, etc. She was accompanied by my sister and sis's fiancee. She wasn't dating at the time, and asked her older male cousin to go. They were very close. Cousin wore a tux, dd and sis had evening gowns, and fiancee had on his dress uniform (Army Captain). They made for a great looking group. We had very good photos taken.

When she graduated, she wanted a special ceremony at home that was also her music recital. We invited 50 people, and had a buffet finger food reception afterward. When the guests had thinned out sufficiently, we had ballroom dancing. (With 50, there wasn't enough room so we started that later in the evening.)

None of our sons wanted any kind of bells and whistles. It was hard to get them to agree to senior photos. But they did want to travel so each of them got a road trip. They are the three musketeers and  wanted the others along so it ended with three road trips in four years with all three of them! The graduating senior got to choose the destination and activities from a list of financial possibilities that we proposed. We had a small dinner with just closest extended family so grandparents and aunts and uncles could celebrate. They are doing it again this spring. Two have graduated in the last three years but did not want to attend their commencements. Youngest graduates this spring. So as their combined college graduation gift, another big vacation together.

E.T.A. We also took each one to personally visit each of the universities on their individual short lists.

The trips and special night sound like great fun!

[Lilaclady]

We made a T-shirt quilt for my grad with all the T-shirts she had accumulated during high school. We had a homeschool group cermenony- scaled back to just immediate family members and had it displayed along with a picture board.

 

[Sneezyone]

4 hours ago, Lilaclady said:

We made a T-shirt quilt for my grad with all the T-shirts she had accumulated during high school. We had a homeschool group cermenony- scaled back to just immediate family members and had it displayed along with a picture board.

 

The quilt sounds really special. Makes me wish I’d saved more of hers through the years.

[mlktwins]

We were planning to start college tours in 10th grade (last year), but Covid.  Hoping to get some in for my juniors this spring/summer.  
 

They don’t want bells and whistles, announcements, or a graduation ceremony (as of now), but they will at least attend one of our local homeschool ceremonies - for me if not for them.  Senior pics are a also must for me as I love pictures!!!

Was also hoping to do a big graduation trip to somewhere super nice, but will have to see what covid looks like then.

Since I am graduating twins and they are my only children, I only get to do this once.  I have already let go a lot of my expectstions.
 

Not how I pictured the end of 13 years of homeschooling 😔.  

[Sneezyone]

1 hour ago, mlktwins said:

We were planning to start college tours in 10th grade (last year), but Covid.  Hoping to get some in for my juniors this spring/summer.  
 

They don’t want bells and whistles, announcements, or a graduation ceremony (as of now), but they will at least attend one of our local homeschool ceremonies - for me if not for them.  Senior pics are a also must for me as I love pictures!!!

Was also hoping to do a big graduation trip to somewhere super nice, but will have to see what covid looks like then.

Since I am graduating twins and they are my only children, I only get to do this once.  I have already let go a lot of my expectstions.
 

Not how I pictured the end of 13 years of homeschooling 😔.  

Hopefully you can do the vacay. At least you get the ceremony tho.🥺

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, mlktwins said:

We were planning to start college tours in 10th grade (last year), but Covid.  Hoping to get some in for my juniors this spring/summer.  
 

They don’t want bells and whistles, announcements, or a graduation ceremony (as of now), but they will at least attend one of our local homeschool ceremonies - for me if not for them.  Senior pics are a also must for me as I love pictures!!!

Was also hoping to do a big graduation trip to somewhere super nice, but will have to see what covid looks like then.

Since I am graduating twins and they are my only children, I only get to do this once.  I have already let go a lot of my expectstions.
 

Not how I pictured the end of 13 years of homeschooling 😔.  

Yep. It took me a long time, but I finally learned that it’s okay to let DS know that on occasion, things get to happen *for mom*, even if he doesn’t see the value in it in the moment. 🙂 
 

He was not a kid who initially wanted graduation photos or a party, but in the end he agreed to both and was glad. His photo shoot was awesome— we hired the sports photographer who covered all his meets (and was the dad of friends) and he took DS to a local land trust that provided beautiful backdrops. DS surprised himself, I think, by how much fun he had— the key was that he already knew the photographer so he was as comfortable as possible.

For graduation, we planned a group party with several of his close friends. It was in the thick of covid but it turned out fantastic. One family offered to host on their gorgeous, enormous property, there were games like badminton in one area, a bonfire, tons of food we all provided, and a slide show highlighting all the kids over their schooling years. It was great fun.

Being covid there couldn’t be an official prom, but one of his friends hosted a very small “prom” in her backyard. The kids dressed up in formalwear, there was a dance floor (what I would have given to see this particular group of kids dance!), food, a fire… I doubt I could have convinced him to go to the prom had it been a normal year, but he had a blast at the backyard covid safe alternative. 

[Sneezyone]

3 hours ago, MEmama said:

Yep. It took me a long time, but I finally learned that it’s okay to let DS know that on occasion, things get to happen *for mom*, even if he doesn’t see the value in it in the moment. 🙂 
 

He was not a kid who initially wanted graduation photos or a party, but in the end he agreed to both and was glad. His photo shoot was awesome— we hired the sports photographer who covered all his meets (and was the dad of friends) and he took DS to a local land trust that provided beautiful backdrops. DS surprised himself, I think, by how much fun he had— the key was that he already knew the photographer so he was as comfortable as possible.

For graduation, we planned a group party with several of his close friends. It was in the thick of covid but it turned out fantastic. One family offered to host on their gorgeous, enormous property, there were games like badminton in one area, a bonfire, tons of food we all provided, and a slide show highlighting all the kids over their schooling years. It was great fun.

The bolded is what we explained to DD. We've been saving up 'We'll let that slide' chips for a while now and plan to cash them in for this one event. The ceremony and close family dinner and any number of other senior activities (painting the darn parking spot!) are just for her but the backyard mini-shindig (and possible Queen photo, lol) is mostly about the old folks reminiscing about her. Fortunately, she's a good sport.

Love the blue. That's where my mind is leaning.

[Farrar]

All I know is that my seniors don't like ANY of the things I suggest.

Sigh. I am going to throw them one heck of a party at the end of this, whether they like it or not. And I am going to get senior pictures this spring, again, whether they like it or not.

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, Farrar said:

All I know is that my seniors don't like ANY of the things I suggest.

Sigh. I am going to throw them one heck of a party at the end of this, whether they like it or not. And I am going to get senior pictures this spring, again, whether they like it or not.

It really is okay to play the mom card on this. It’s a huge moment for them even if they don’t realize it (because really, by graduation most kids are already over it and have mentally moved on), but it’s also a milestone for parents—especially those of us who will instantly become empty nesters. 
 

 

[Farrar]

3 minutes ago, MEmama said:

It really is okay to play the mom card on this. It’s a huge moment for them even if they don’t realize it (because really, by graduation most kids are already over it and have mentally moved on), but it’s also a milestone for parents—especially those of us who will instantly become empty nesters. 
 

 

Agreed. Thank you!

Yeah, it may be complicated a bit for me by the fact that I didn't want to attend my own high school graduation and was forced to do so. And then my mother was a complete crazy person that day and stranded me there with no way home. So I might have some baggage. But I promise not to be too crazy to my own kids.

[katilac]

We were pretty casual about it. Their 'announcements' were just the info printed on the photo card that also served as the invitation to their graduation and party, which was held in our backyard. We did set up the deck so they could 'walk the stage' and get their diploma. Dad and uncle gave speeches, I handed them the diploma. Oldest walked in cap and gown bc she wanted to, youngest didn't bc she didn't want to. Ditto for their senior pics. 

Their diplomas were printed at home on nice paper, and we ordered custom diploma covers. Oldest didn't want a ring but did want something, so we ordered a couple of necklaces from the diploma place (cheap ones, not 'real' jewelry). 

We were still doing follow-up visits to schools, so that kept us busy. 

They both got to pick a family trip, and both chose Disney World. Oldest wore her cap and gown one day and we got some really fun pictures! Both of them had the special "Mickey Mouse diplomas" I created signed and awarded by Mickey himself. 

So basically: college visits, backyard graduation and party, whatever swag they wanted (which was not much), and a senior trip.