It is rather rewarding (and satisfying) to dress up and be formally acknowledged for our years of dedication and hard work. Graduations are often some of our fondest memories; they mark pivotal stages in our transition to adulthood.

However, our attitude towards graduation changes substantially after several years of independence and university. Here are five differences between graduating high school and graduating university.

Celebration

High school graduates begin planning their schoolies weeks and summer vacations months in advance. They are seen avidly scrolling through AirBnb and Wotif, attempting to find the perfect summer destination to party with their friends.

University graduates, on the other hand, are spotted scrolling through job advertisements and searching for unpaid internships. Talk about a wild celebration!

Dress

Will there ever be anything more important than what high school students choose to wear to their formal? The perfect dress or suit often takes months to find, and schools often have strict rules in place to ensure that no girl’s dress clashes with another.

University, however, is much less of a fiasco. There are no real strict dress codes or rules on wearing similar outfits at graduation — we just have to look presentable and classy. I guess there’s no need for graduation clothing to be so important, since we all essentially end up wearing a cape-like thing and strange-looking pirate hat over our outfits anyway.

Arrival And Attendance

Months prior to our high school formals, we split our precious study time with organising the perfect vehicle for our entrance to the event. Some may go with a horse and carriage, others an old fashioned Cadillac — I’ve even seen someone arrive in a Dr Who police box. Some may say that our entrance to this event is the pinnacle of our schooling career.

University students only really have to contemplate whether they will even attend their graduation ceremony, let alone a method of arrival. Pretty sure I just hopped on a bus to get to mine.   

Maturity

Most of my close friends have confessed that they actually felt older when graduating from high school. I think that it comes down to slight ignorance and innocence; as teenagers we are racing to grow up, often believing that our maturity levels have peaked. It isn’t until several years later that we actually realise how young and naïve we were (and still are). You learn a lot about yourself when you move out of home and take on adulthood, and it just forces you to fathom how much more we have to go and how young we truly are.

Stress

While stress will most likely always play some part in graduation, there is a significant difference between secondary and tertiary graduate nerves. High school graduates are often excited and nervous, while university graduates are stressed, overwhelmed and panicked. In high school, you couldn’t be more ecstatic to get out into the “real world,” while at uni, we are way too afraid to face it. Worrying about a finding a career in the professional workforce is quite daunting when compared to deciding on whether to apply to universities on the coast or in the city.

While there are quite a few differences between these two graduations, they do also share a few things in common: we are usually unsure of our next step, and nervous about being pushed outside of our comfort zone. Remember to embrace these powerful transitions, give yourself a pat on the back for your years of hard work, and know that there is no pressure for you to have life after graduation figured out on the first try.

(Lead image: Gilmore Girls/Warner Bros)