Michelle Lewis

A wise man (or woman—since it’s wise, we’ll assume it’s a woman!) once said that all good things must come to an end. And for all of you graduating seniors, that idiom is probably hitting a bit too close to home as you think about leaving your beloved campus and friends behind to start a new life as a college graduate. But what about your boyfriend? The Cappie to your Casey, the Chuck to your Blair—does moving on from college mean saying goodbye to your college relationship, too? Or could you find that your post-grad love is just as great as your undergrad one? HC talked to two relationship experts and laid out everything you should consider before taking (or not taking) the big post-grad step in your relationship.

Where will you both be?

Maybe you’ll both be navigating new cities or you’ll be moving to a new location while he still has a year or more left before he graduates. Regardless of the situation, location is an important factor to consider when deciding whether or not to stay with your boyfriend.

“Long-distance relationships are very hard to maintain,” says Julie Orlov, a psychotherapist and the author of The Pathway to Love. “They’re tough on the relationship.”

When the outfit du jour for every senior is an unflattering polyester gown, a mortarboard, and a tassel, “graduation day fashion” may seem like an oxymoron. But just because you’re wearing commencement regalia doesn’t mean you can’t show off your personal style with your outfit underneath!

However, don’t just put on your most fabulous dress and a pair of stilettos and call it a day. Between the weather (if you’re graduating outdoors) and your post-ceremony plans, there are a few factors to consider before you pick out your commencement day outfit. We’ve laid out 10 steps to ensure you look fabulous on graduation day.

1. Know how many outfits you’ll need.

Cap and gown? Check. Outfit for underneath? Check (after you get through this list!). Outfit number two, three, or possibly four? Wait… what?

Depending on your school, you may need to get more than one outfit ready for graduation weekend. “My university had separate graduations for my department and for the university as a whole, and they were on different days, so I needed different dresses,” says Elyssa Goodman, a Carnegie Mellon University ’10 grad. “If you’re a part of any honor societies, too, there may be separate senior ceremonies you’ll need to be differently attired for, as well.” Make an inventory of the different ceremonies and events you’ll be attending for graduation and how to appropriately dress for each, so you won’t have to wear the same (possibly sweaty) dress three days in a row.

2. Unpack and iron your gown in advance.

183.

I stared at the number in horror, not quite able to understand, willing it to change. But it remained on the screen, glaring up at me.

“183 pounds,” the scale glowered at me.

In shock, I realized that I was 17 pounds away from being 200 pounds. And if I had gained that much weight that quickly, when would I get to 200? 215? 240?

At 5’5” and wearing snugly-fitting size-12 jeans, I knew I was a bigger girl. But I didn’t think I weighed that much. Only really big people weighed almost 200 pounds, right?

I grabbed my iPhone and did a quick Google search for “BMI chart.” I had heard that BMI wasn’t a great indicator of health because it didn’t account for muscle mass, but let’s be real—it wasn’t muscle that was weighing me down.

Shocked, I discovered that at my BMI of 30.4. I wasn’t just overweight—I was obese.

Something needed to change. I had been unhappy with my weight all my life—even when I was a size four and six in high school, my self-perception twisted by all my size-zero friends. But I had never actually been scared for my health until now.

A couple weeks ago, my mom had gone to the doctor and discovered that she was dangerously close to being diabetic. My mom, who ran half-marathons. If she was at risk of diabetes, I was sure to be, too.

For many collegiettes, the social Greek system is an awesome way to meet your college BFFs. But when Alaine Perconti, a current senior at Miami University (Ohio), went through her school’s sorority rush process, she didn’t find her niche.

“I didn't feel that the social Greek system would be a great fit for me,” she says. “I was looking for an organization where I could learn more about my field of study and build strong relationships and have fun.”

Instead of giving up on Greek organizations, Alaine eventually found her place—as well as lasting friendships and networking opportunities—as a brother of the fraternity Delta Sigma Pi.

Yep, you read that correctly! Delta Sigma Pi is a co-ed professional business fraternity (hence “brother”). The fraternity organizes service events, social events such as a spring formal, and fundraisers—just like a social sorority, but all of its members are business majors.

There are professional Greek organizations for people interested in all sorts of fields, from psychology to music to chemical engineering. If you’re looking to join an organization that will allow you to bond with fellow students with whom you share a common interest, but you want something more than just a club, a professional fraternity or sorority might be a good fit for you. Read on to learn more about these groups!

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