It's almost time, Class of 2018!

Just in case the finality of finals and the excitement of Senior Week activities have kept you from reading our previous GradZone emails, check out what you need to know for your Class Day ceremony below and on the Columbia College Graduation app. (Download it now!) Be sure to let your guests know this important information as well.

Columbia College Class Day: Tuesday, May 15

After you download the Columbia College Graduation app, take a moment to add the department receptions and other academic ceremonies to your calendar. And then set your alarm(s) so you can make it on time!

What to Wear

• You must be wearing a Columbia cap and gown to participate. If you don't have yours, get to the Columbia Bookstore ASAP!
• Dress for the weather. Class Day will take place under the tents, rain or shine.
• Wear comfortable shoes that work well on grass, ramps, grates, concrete and bricks. (Avoid thin heels. We've seen too many get stuck or break over the years!)

What to Bring

• Bring your CUID (or if you graduated in October or February, a print-out of your registration and a government ID) to access campus and check in.
• Carry as few possessions as possible. Large items will be prohibited.

Guests

• Guest seating will open at 7:30 a.m. All south campus gates will be open for guest access.
• Guests with mobility issues or those needing assistance should enter campus via the 116th Street gates at Amsterdam Avenue.
• Class Day will be webcast live. Share this link with family and friends!

Checking In

• Check in takes place 7:00–8:00 a.m. in Lerner Hall. Check-in is organized alphabetically by your last name.
• You will be given a card with your name to hand to the readers before crossing the stage.
• You will also receive a class pin to place on the lapel of your gown.
• If you were approved to graduate within the last few days or do not find your name card when you check in, there will be a blank card for you to fill out.

Lining Up

• Line up on the Lerner Hall ramps.
• There will be two parallel lines of graduates. Stand in front of or behind the friends you plan to sit near.
• If you get separated at a row break, please wait until the row fills in to change seats.

During the Ceremony

• Cheer on your fellow graduates as they receive awards and as they walk across the stage when graduates' names are read.
• Post selfies and photos with the hashtags #MyCCJourney and #RoarLions2018.
• Show courtesy to your classmates and their families by remaining in your seats and being attentive.
• We ask that all students remain throughout the ceremony.

Necessities

• Your nearest water stations will be on Butler Plaza.
• Your closest restrooms will be in Lerner Hall.
• Staff will be on hand throughout the ceremony to help guide you and respond to your questions.
• If you lose your name card, please ask one of the seating marshals for assistance.

Your Turn on Stage

• This is the moment you've been waiting for!
• Leave personal belongings on your seat. Seating marshals will keep an eye on them.
• Take your name card with you and hand it to the name reader as you approach the podium.
• Follow the directions of the seating marshals to get to the stage and back to your seat.
• Text your guests when you are standing in line to cross the stage so they can look for you.
• As your name is called, you'll walk across stage and appear on the screens. Keep moving as your name is called; do not stop and wait for your name to finish being read. This ensures that it will be perfectly timed on screen for your guests to see!
• Your photo will be taken three times: once as you approach the stage, once as you shake hands with the President and once as you exit the stage.

After the Ceremony

• All faculty and stage party participants will formally recess offstage to Schermerhorn/Avery Plaza. Once the stage is clear, graduates will be asked to follow, recessing in two single-file lines as you did for the procession.
• Once you have reached the tent, you will receive a class gift from Dean Valentini.
• A swift recession is important as staff need set up for University Commencement the following morning.
• Meet your guests near the lion statue on upper campus outside of Havemeyer and Uris Halls.
• Professional photographers from GradImages will be wearing red vests and stationed at this location to take pictures of graduates and their guests. You may purchase the images they capture after the ceremony online, along with the images they capture of you during the ceremony, at GradImages.com.
• ​Your diploma will be mailed over the summer to the "diploma address" you provided in SSOL unless you have asked to have it held for pickup in June.

University Commencement: Wednesday, May 16

• Make sure your guests have their printed tickets in hand prior to Commencement morning. Each ticket has a unique barcode and can only be scanned once for entry. Because crowds cannot cross from upper to lower campus on the day of Commencement, you will not be able to reconnect with your guests until after the ceremony.
• Commencement will take place outdoors, rain or shine, and seating areas are not covered.
• Wear your Columbia cap and gown and carry your CUID (or if you graduated in October or February, a print-out of your University Commencement registration and government ID).
• Assemble by 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 16 on the east side of Low Library, in front of St. Paul's Chapel.
• Use the hashtags #MyCCJourney and #RoarLions2018.
• That evening, snap a pic of the Empire State Building, which will be Columbia blue in honor of YOU (and the rest of the Columbia University Class of 2018)!