<p>Our family is looking forward to graduation in May. It seems like there are activities Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I would love to hear from other parents about their plans and experiences and what to wear.</p>
<p>chinablue
We cannot wait! The logistics are going to be challenging as we will have 9 of us coming. We are hoping for great weather so graduation can be in the stadium and we all can attend. And there are no words to describe how excited we are that Cardinal Dolan will be the speaker.</p>
<p>We are flying in on Friday, and hoping to spend Saturday touring campus with guests who have never been and DH parents who have not been there since DH graduated 30 years ago. Mass and a celebratory dinner Saturday evening and both graduation ceremonies on Sunday will keep us busy especially with all the septuagenarians we will be herding around! Right now my biggest challenge is figuring out how to feed everyone between Sunday’s ceremonies. I am searching feverously for a packable, flattering, flat shoe friendly dress for graduation.</p>
<p>DS probably has events we will have to attend, but history has taught me that I won’t know about those until zero dark thirty!</p>
<p>I cannot believe DS’s undergrad is nearing commencement. It is bittersweet</p>
<p>My S will be getting his Masters degree at ND this year. Judging from his graduation last year at Fordham (where Cardinal Dolan spoke at the Baccalaureate mass and was warm and wonderful – and my S got a photo with him) I would put the emphasis on being neat and comfortable. Look at the weather and dress accordingly (remember it is often cooler in the early morning) and it is a must to wear shoes you can do a lot of walking in.</p>
<p>We are also flying in on Friday (with 2 grandparents who have never been to the campus) and will hopefully take a short tour around campus and have dinner. Sat. we have his MS graduation and lunch, then hopefully help my S pack up his car for his drive home, after which we will go out for a celebratory dinner at a nicer restaurant in South Bend. Sunday we’re going to fly out at ngiht (mainly because we need to pick up our D from her college on Monday).</p>
<p>Congratulations to all.</p>
<p>Hi happy1, laketime, and chiablue,</p>
<p>I am reviving an old thread as I prepare to head out to ND for my son’s graduation this weekend! We are a party of 11 including extended family, most of whom have not been to campus before. I am excited to show them around campus and have them there to celebrate the occasion with us. </p>
<p>Chinablue, the weather is projected to be 82, and I expect we may feel HOT since we are in the football stadium. I planned on wearing a 3/4 sleeve wrap dress- in black. I might just slice those sleeves right off though! Was I the only one thinking the temp would hover somewhere in the 60’s? I have heels with me, but will bring a tote so that I can hide more comfortable shoes in it and swap pairs as needed. 
</p>
<p>Laketime, did you see the dining hall and box lunch options on the commencement website? </p>
<p>Chinablue, I’m still deciding what to wear on Saturday. During the day, I would like to be casual, but then Mass and dinner afterwards dictates different attire. I will not be going back to the hotel in between (too far!) so I’m in a bit of a quandry here. What did you decide for yourself?</p>
<p>I am also excited Cardinal Dolan will be the speaker. Happy1, are you in NY too? Fordham is a great school and happy you have a photo of your son with Cardinal Dolan. He is an amazing person and priest!</p>
<p>Marie - My S graduated a few years ago but wanted to say, remember Mass is in the JAC (Purcell Pavilion with overflow in the North Dome if you arrive late) so you may want to wait and change clothes/shoes until after Mass. I am much more comfortable in flats when climbing up and down stairs. If you are eating on campus, they may be serving you in tents set up on the lawn. Again, flats over heels would be my choice.</p>
<p>@Marie51 - Yes, I am a fellow New Yorker! Again, congratulations to all!</p>
<p>Marie51,
Our oldest graduated last year. Similar weather. There is NO SHADE in the stadium area where families are sitting, so dress accordingly and don’t forget the sunscreen and water. (Personally, I wore the nice dress to our graduation dinner the night before and wore capris and flat sandals in the stadium.) The four grandparents in our party (all 80+) opted out of the stadium ceremony and met us afterward under a tree for the box lunches. There is no way they would have lasted in the bleachers in the sun.</p>
<p>Box lunches are great! You can grab and go and find a nice shady spot to picnic! We were given this advice from people the year before our daughter graduated (2011). It was perfect. The last thing you want to do after the big graduation ceremony is wait! As for the weather and what to wear, it does get hot in the stadium when the sun beats down…but WAY better than rain! Bring sunscreen. You can buy concessions, so you can get water, drinks and snacks. It is early, so not bad at all! Congrats to all! SO excited to get to do this again with our son who starts this fall! Go Irish!</p>
<p>You all will probably be in South Bend as I write this…
Our oldest graduated last year. Sunday morning was in the 90’s!–thought I was going to melt. Take lots of water bottles, hats, sunscreen/sunglasses. You will be facing the sun.
(Had I been thinking, I would have taken wet washcloths for the back of my neck, arms, etc.) We arrived when doors opened–IIRC at 7:30. 4 hours in sun is a lot! They did have satellite viewing areas, and we did see a number of guests leave prior to finish.</p>
<p>Wear flats! Lots of steps in stadium. Order the box lunches to make your life easier. Or pre-order sandwiches from deli across street - sorry, forget the name, starts with M.</p>
<p>For Saturday mass…arrive EARLY!!! And wear flats. You will be walking up and down steps a number of times (getting in, communion, getting out). Enjoy the beauty of the occasion–nobody will be looking at your feet, unless you trip and fall! My favorite ceremony of the weekend.</p>
<p>Still tear up thinking about that weekend…and the whole ND experience. Life changing for our D–and us. While she is done, our hearts will always be there.
Love thee, Notre Dame!</p>
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<p>McAlisters :)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.mcalistersdeli.com/[/url]”>http://www.mcalistersdeli.com/</a></p>