Graduation 2021: Are You Ready?

Firstly, congratulations! All those late-night study sessions, excessive Red Bulls, and exam preparations have paid off- you are graduating! We are so excited to be able to enjoy celebrating each Schools graduating classes this coming week. Graduation week is taking place next week from June 28- July 1, for updates to individual ceremonies please check your university emails and the Graduation page.

What to Expect at Your Ceremony
For those of you who are attending in person, we would like to remind you that you and your guest will need proof that you are covid-19 negative. This evidence can be via a test, vaccination, or confirmation that you have COVID-19 in the last 180 days. Just as you will be wearing your cap and gown, it is also essential that you, as well as all others present, wear a respirator without an exhalation valve of min. class FFP2 (KN95/N95).

Dressing for the Day
During the course of a ceremony you may be seated, walking over cobbles, stairs, across a stage, and standing around for photographs- the last thing you need on a day of celebration is sore feet, a cap possibly falling off or uncomfortable clothing. Do yourself a service and put your comfort fashionably first! As this is a special occasion, you should wear something to reflect that! Appropriate attire consists of: dress shirt and tie, slacks, and dress shoes, or a dress, nice skirt and blouse combo or even a fancy pants suit!

We recommend that graduating students should arrive by 1pm to collect and change into their cap and gown. Please remember that the cap has to sit on top of your head and not wobble off so, try to keep your hairstyles simple and elegant. Gowns can be tricky therefore if you are wearing a blouse or dress shirt, remember that your gown is likely to be attached through a buttonhole (typically under your tie) so avoid choking yourself by setting your gown down a couple of buttons.

For those of you wanting to wear a dress, any length is acceptable but for the sake of your comfort try avoid floor length: beautiful, flowy and dramatic but also easy to trip on!

While everyone feels a million dollars in flashy pair of heels or sleek dress shoes, blisters and sore feet don’t feel glamorous (it is very important to feel comfortable). Break in your shoes by wearing them a few times before the day of your ceremony and make sure you can walk in them. It is a good idea to bring any blister plasters, anti-chaffing rubs you may need on the day!

As a rule, check the weather in advance. There will be a tarp cover but the ceremony will be taking place outside. For example, we hope for sunshine so applying a drop of sunscreen is a good move.

Need to know for Out-of-Prague Participation
For those of you participating in graduation from afar, please note that the ceremony will be available as a live stream across our social media channels (YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram). A shareable link has been provided for each platform. We kindly ask that if you haven’t already done so, please provide a photograph of yourself and a short bio for the graduation presentation!

After Graduation
After each ceremony, there will be a reception with drinks and refreshments for all those in attendance. Spend time with your fellow graduates and guests snapping memories and celebrating your successes! If you are still in Prague following the last ceremony on July 1, there will be an Alumni Mixer in Cloud 9 Sky Bar & Lounge at 6pm. As a new graduate, this will be your first event as an AAU Alumni! Brush shoulders with those who have gone before you, enjoy celebrating your graduation with a delicious buffet and welcome drinks for all. Finally, once the excitement of the week has started to wind down, enjoy one last event at the Graduation BBQ hosted by your Student Council on Friday 2, at 3pm. Held at Café de Taxis, relax and chill with friends toasting to your future with tasty food and refreshments.