<p>Our son will be graduating in May. I've been trying to figure out how best to navigate graduation week and was hoping that someone on here who has been through it before could give me some tips. For example:</p>
<p>-Did you stay in the Commons? Do you recommend it?</p>
<ul>
<li><p>How early should you get there to get a good seat for the ceremony?</p></li>
<li><p>Did you get box lunches Thurs/Fri or both? Did that work out well? Do a lot of people do it?</p></li>
<li><p>Did you reserve a table for the Party? Was it worth it?</p></li>
<li><p>Where's a good place to park?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Anything you wish you would have known before the week started?</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the chairs for Commencement are put up weeks in advance (now that Rites is over, they have probably already started staging them). Be sure to take something to wipe off the chairs if you are wearing white or light colored skirts or pants. Stick trash bags in your purse to pull out for seat covers if there has been any precipitation.</p>
<p>You should get there early, but you’ll be able to move closer once the first half of the ceremony concludes and the professional and graduate school candidates are dismissed to attend their own ceremonies.</p>
<p>I reserved a hotel room within walking distance of Vandy a year in advance. My in laws decided to come last-minute, and they got a room at the Hampton-Green Hills. Ceremony was moved inside due to rain, so we didn’t go all that early. No box lunches. Didn’t go to the Party. Parked at the hotel. In laws tried to get a handicapped parking space but couldn’t find one - they ended up parking at the hotel, too. We spent the day at D’s condo just off campus, with her roommate’s family. The rest of the time we spent with our family. We had reservations both Friday and Saturday at area restaurants, and we hung out around town on Saturday. It was just right for us!</p>
<p>we made dinner reservations at Etch near the new convention center downtown for graduation night and had a perfectly lovely meal…quiet and peaceful. we didn’t want to be in line anywhere or in some terribly crowded restaurant. We did buy box lunches for Senior Day (not really necessary at all btw), and went in early to get good seats to see the wonderful Toni Morrison. Senior Day was much more laid back thankfully than graduation day. If you have elderly people with you, I might do a box lunch or book a table to cut down on the walking and getting about. Tables make the logistics easier I imagine if you have relatives converging there. We didn’t have our elders with us.</p>
<p>Senior Day will be held in the Gym. Be aware that some of the seating there is on bleachers (unless that’s changed in the past 5 years). We had elders with us and so got an early start both days, because bleacher seats were not an option. In 2009, both Senior Day and Commencement were held in the Gym due to weather issues. Seating got a bit crazy for Commencement, and we were relieved that we had arrived at the Gym by (I think) 7:30-7:40. We had walked over from the Embassy Suites on Broadway because we didn’t want to deal with parking.</p>
<p>Some people did not observe the rule against saving seats. Not an issue for us, since we’d all arrived together. But one obnoxious group was holding two rows for latecomers. A young woman with a baby plunked herself down in one of the saved seats. When she was told “That’s saved,” she said, “No, it isn’t,” and didn’t budge. I admired her pluck!</p>
<p>Our d had made dinner reservations for us for the long weekend. I still remember the amazing dinner at Bound’ry. We had a wonderful time at graduation - I hope all the 2014 families do, too.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! You have been very helpful!</p>
<p>In case anyone is looking next year, here’s my experience.</p>
<p>Graduation is very well organized. Parking was no problem; there were signs and staff directing people to free parking at the garage on 25th st. We did get there relatively early, so I don’t know if there was a problem for those arriving later.</p>
<p>Box lunches: We thought that restaurants would be packed and that we’d avoid that rush, but in reality it would have been more special to go out somewhere; even if we had to drive a little bit to get there. The students don’t really want more Rand food. Not many people got box lunches. Just bring some protein bars or something to tide you over if you think you’ll be hungry.</p>
<p>Senior day and graduation (it was indoors this year) . . .we sat on the second level under a vent and were very comfortable while other people were sweltering. </p>
<p>We were invited to breakfast at Peabody. It was really nice, but it did end up making us late enough for graduation that we ended up having to sit on the bleachers side. If we had to do it again we probably would have skipped the breakfast (or made sure that we got there early enough to park and arrive right at 7 so we could leave for graduation at 7:20 or so).</p>
<p>Make restaurant reservations a few months in advance. The favorites were booked early.</p>
<p>Do most of the moving out on Thursday afternoon after the senior day speaker. We did that (had everything packed and in the car except for bedding and clothes he would wear to graduation and Saturday morning) and it was a lifesaver. Towers was absolutely nuts on Saturday morning. </p>
<p>Vanderbilt does a great job with graduation. It was a very special weekend.</p>