Graduations back on at universities
Students will once again have the option of crossing a stage in a cap and gown as graduation ceremonies are slowly reinstated, after they were postponed to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Victoria University announced its May graduation will instead be held in September, with two parades and seven ceremonies.
The University of Waikato was planning to hold a ceremony later in the year, but there was no set plan at this stage, a spokesperson said. The ceremony would be for those who wished to celebrate their achievements, but students had already officially graduated in absentia.
Auckland University will be holding three mega-graduations in October rather than extra ceremonies.
Otago University said graduation ceremonies would recommence, but it was still in the planning phase.
However not every student who missed out on a ceremony is planning to return. Samantha Green, 22, graduated from the University of Canterbury with a bachelor of commerce but the ceremony in April was cancelled.
Green said she had seen photos on social media of friends in gowns, with their diplomas, and she had bought a dress in preparation.
‘‘I wanted to have that memory of being with Mum and Dad, and getting a photo with them in my cap and gown, with my diploma, after three years of pretty hard work.’’
Instead, she was emailed a copy of her diploma, and took some photos at home with her parents, and a physical certificate arrived in the mail two weeks ago.
Despite this, she no longer felt the need to attend a ceremony, and the ‘‘hype’’ had worn off.
‘‘It’s not the same. It’s kind of set in, I’ve finished my undergrad, I’ve moved on to the next stage now.’’
Canterbury, Massey, and Lincoln universities were not available for comment.