Graduation is approaching faster than you can imagine, so it might be time to figure out what you’re going to do to celebrate your big accomplishment. There’s a lot of great ways to celebrate, but if you’re on a tight budget you might want to keep your dreams realistic. There’s a lot of frugal ways to have fun though, so don’t feel like your parade has been rained on if you don’t get to do something extravagant. In fact, you may enjoy these ten ideas more than some of the pricier options. So, get excited about your big day because the aftermath is sure to be just as exciting as putting on the cap and gown.
1. Throw a Party
One of the most common options for celebrations is to throw a party. This allows everyone to stop by and celebrate your achievement with you. It’s also a great time to get together with friends, family and classmates to say goodbye before you begin the next chapter of your life. You don’t have to go all out on a party either. In fact, hiring a DJ, renting a venue and other pricey options probably aren’t necessary, depending on the amount of people you invite. Instead, you can host it at your home and make homemade treats for everyone to enjoy. If you do want to splurge on a party then talk to a few of your friends. If you can all go in together on the party costs then it won’t force any of you to spend a bundle on the party. This should keep to your budget and allow you to have the party you want.
2. Pig Out
With graduation comes finals, which means you may not have felt so hot prior to walking across the stage. Often, the stress of exams and the end of the semester financial stress has people eating ramen and other cheap and easy meals. So, to celebrate your big accomplishment pig out. One way to do this is to ask family members to make some of your favorite dishes as a graduation present. You could also pick up a lot of different take out to party in style. If you want to do this with friends then have everyone pick up some take out to help keep the cost down. Then, eat until you can’t anymore. You will feel satisfied in more ways than one.
3. Weekend Getaway
Another way to enjoy your recent achievement is to get away from it all for the weekend. This will give you the proper chance to get rid of the stress that built up before the big moment happened. Weekend getaways are fairly cheap, especially when you don’t go very far. To begin with, you could easily go to a nearby city to check it out for the weekend. You might want to see the sights, hang out downtown or even consider potential schooling or work options there. If the city isn’t your thing then use the time to reconnect with Mother Nature. The weather is usually perfect for camping this time of the year and will give you a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of life for a little while. Best of all, camping doesn’t really cost a lot of money.
4. College Tour
If you just finished up with high school or you plan on going to graduate school, then you may want to celebrate by checking out your future college. This will allow you to get a good layout of where you will be and what you will be able to do. You should check out nearby restaurants, hang outs and activities so you won’t stuck wondering where to go when you arrive on campus. You may want to check our the dormitories or nearby apartments too, just to begin to get a feel of what you will need to take with you when you do arrive on campus. Of course, touring the campus and asking lots of questions is always wise. By the time you finish up with your college tour, you should feel a million times better about the upcoming change in your life. You may even meet a few new friends to help you out when you arrive.
5. Exclusive Dinner Out
Another way to celebrate is to enjoy a fancy restaurant that you normally wouldn’t go to. Of course, you can always stick with your favorite restaurant too, if you prefer that. You might want to pick a few close friends to go along with you, so you can still celebrate in style while keeping the budget low. While you’re there, make sure to have the time of your life, because you may not get to see your friends again for some time. Try to go over memories from your school days, future plans and how you all plan to keep in touch. You will feel a sense of closure by doing this and you might even feel a little bit sophisticated during your time at the restaurant. You can also have this special meal with your family, to allow them to bask in your achievement too. After all, if you’re going away for school or a job then you might not see them for some time too.
6. Buy Something Nice
If you don’t really have the time for a big celebration or you’re just not feeling up to it then you may want to celebrate with some retail therapy. This can go a number of ways. For instance, you may just want to go out and buy a splurge item that you’ve had your eye on for quite some time. You might also want to go and spend some money on new items for your dorm or apartment, to ensure you feel comfortable with your new environment to make your life transition a little easier. Another option is to buy some new clothes for work or job interviews. This should help you get off on the right track, which is a great way to add to your big achievement. No matter what you choose to buy, make sure it makes you happy so you can feel like you’ve celebrated your accomplishment.
7. Take “You” Time
For a while now, you’ve had to bend over backwards for school, which has probably done a toll on your stress levels. Instead of celebrating in huge ways, you may want to set some time away just for you. The next few months will be busy with time spent with your friends and family, preparations for college or a job and so on. So, find the time just to be alone and destress. There’s a lot of great ways to reduce your stress, so make sure you find a method that works for you. Taking the time out to do this will also help you out on your next stage in life because you will know how to find calmness when you’re feeling overwhelmed. If you’re not sure how to destress, try out different methods. This may mean taking lots of ‘you’ time, but you do deserve it after all.
8. Pick Up a New Hobby
Since you won’t have as much work on your hands for a while, it may be time to find a new hobby to help you positively kill time. If you are really into sports already then it might be wise to take on an indoor activity to help boost your creativity or cognitive functions. This could be anything from knitting to crossword puzzles. You may find these activities will help you out when your under lots of stress during exams or while working on deadlines at the office. If you have plenty of creative endeavors then it may be time to try out a sport. You might want to join a team or simply pick up running. This will help keep you healthier, will allow you to get rid of stress and may even make it easier to make some new friends.
9. Road Trip
Sometimes, the best way to celebrate something as big as a graduation is to hit the open road. Gather up some friends that can help pay for gas and expenses and find your own freedom. Road trips are a great way to let yourself find happiness by spending time checking out new regions. You will be surprised by all that you discover on your trip. You may even find places you’d like to vacation to, study at or even live while on your adventure. Of course, you should always make sure to follow a road trip checklist in order to prevent it from costing you too much money. If you’re worried about spending though, you can always keep your road trip close to home or at least stay in the same state.
10. Plan for the Future
This time might be the best time to sit down and think about your future too. The buzz of such an event will probably have you filled with ideas on how your future should go. So, now is the time to sit down and write out all of the plans you’ve come up with. Better yet, you can even begin to map them out so you’ll be on the right path to success. This includes picking the right major and courses to take when in school, as well as where you should internship. The deeper the plans, the more likely you are to complete them, which should make you feel proud. This activity will help you get in the swing of working towards your goals too, because soon all of the classes and activities you do will work towards the future of your dreams.
Graduating is a time to feel proud of yourself, so choosing a great way to celebrate is a must. These ten tips should give you a few ideas that won’t put your rainy day fund in jeopardy. This should allow you to get a better head start in the next stage of your life, so you can feel ready to tackle anything that comes your way.
