How graduation is celebrated in different countries of the world. What traditions exist at the graduation at school How do they celebrate graduation in different countries of the world
On the threshold of adulthood, school graduates sometimes do unimaginable things. Relax.by decided to figure out how graduation is celebrated in different countries of the world and what is in common between graduates, for example, the States and Norway.
Our graduation
Let's start with our country, Belarus, for comparison. Our farewell to school traditionally begins with the last bell at the end of May. In the schoolyard, the teachers and the director are giving instructions to the graduates, and the first graders are congratulating them. The girls tie white bows, put on their school uniforms, the guys take their hands, and they either stay at school or go for a walk. The graduation ceremony is celebrated after passing the exams, they walk noisily until the first officially adult morning. Graduates go to greet the dawn, and the bravest ones bathe in city fountains.
American dream
The prom is taken very seriously in the United States. Preparation for it begins in advance. Judging by the films, the most interesting thing in the life of American teenagers happens precisely in graduation classes and, of course, at graduation. Graduation, or as they call it prom, can be compared to going out on the red carpet: girls follow fashion trends in order to literally knock everyone out.
It is customary to come to the ball in pairs. They approach the choice of a couple responsibly, because they will have to spend the whole evening together. You are not supposed to dance with someone else's boyfriend. The young man has serious responsibilities: he has to put on a tuxedo, buy a flower bracelet to match his companion's dress, pick her up in a luxury car in the evening and take her to the ball. Alcohol is prohibited at the holiday, there are no solemn speeches or presentation of certificates. At the end of the evening, the director announces the king and queen of the prom. They are usually the most popular and beautiful students of the school. Almost all graduates dream of becoming a queen or king of the ball.
Euro tour
In Great Britain and Ireland, graduation is celebrated in about the same way as in the United States, but in Scotland, for the most part, graduates do not even know what a prom is. The fact is that here the statistics of passing exams is somehow especially disappointing, so it is somehow not customary to celebrate graduation from school, because after it very few people continue their studies at the university. The mood is not right. True, there are those who do not want to deprive themselves of the holiday and arrange parties in hotels or pubs.
In France, in high school, in the lyceum, classmates change every year. Accordingly, in graduation, rarely does anyone see the meaning. True, French graduates, following the example of their peers from Scotland, can sometimes arrange a holiday for themselves.
In Germany, however, they approach farewell to school in a creative way. Students write hymns for their class, draw emblems, print their photos as posters, sign them. To leave a memory of themselves in their native school, they plant flowers and trees in the school garden. Having done something good and useful for the school, graduates are eligible to come to the ball. In some federal states, it is customary to host themed parties: students dress up in a pre-selected style. For example, they dress like Hollywood stars on the red carpet or oriental sultans and odalisques. By the way, in Germany, you can officially drink alcohol at graduation, since the laws of the country allow beer and wine from the age of 16, and many graduates are already 18 years old.
In Italy, as such, there is no graduation ball, graduates themselves organize a party for themselves called I cento giorni (100 days), which takes place, in fact, 100 days before the final exams. Why exactly 100? Italians believe that this is how long it takes to repeat everything you have learned before exams.
Polish graduation is celebrated in January and also 100 days before leaving school. Poles have something in common with Italians, you must agree. The graduation party in Poland begins with a polonaise, which the director himself dances with one of the students. Moreover, each city has its own variants of the polonaise. There is a belief: in order to pass the exams well, you need to "latch" your legs during the dance. As for prom dresses, guys come in three-piece suits and girls wear evening gowns. At the same time, it is believed that there must be something red in the outfit, since this color gives strength and confidence, helps to overcome difficulties.
Graduation in Sweden begins with a gourmet breakfast and champagne. Girls put on dresses, and guys put on suits. Everyone has a small white cap, on the lining of which everyone can sign. After the ceremonial part, the graduates run out of the school and throw their hats into the sky. Then the guys get into the convertible and turn on the music louder. Their loved ones stand along the streets and hold posters with their photographs and wishes. On this day, everyone gives each other practical gifts. Have fun until the morning.
Students in their final year of college in Norway dress up in funny multi-colored overalls and have a lot of fun in the last weeks before graduation. Red overalls are worn by those who decided to devote themselves to the economy, blue ones are worn by those who are going to do science, black ones - for future techies, and white ones are worn by athletes.
Mysterious Asia
You might think that in Asian countries graduation is celebrated somehow in a special way, but the American prom has taken root there too. Graduation in Israel, for example, follows the same principle as in the United States.
In Lebanon, graduation takes place in the evening after a formal ceremony in a luxurious hotel with a formal dress code, rented cars, the choice of the king and queen of the ball.
In Malaysia, prom-type graduations are becoming more and more popular, but there the graduates themselves are involved in the organization, the school administration is not involved.
In Japan, the graduation dress code is extremely strict! There will definitely not be any king and queen here. Everything is strict, solemn, the Japanese are not used to showing emotions, the suit is according to the charter.
In China, they say goodbye to school, throwing notebooks, diaries, pencils, pens out of the windows ... In general, the way our schoolchildren threaten, unless they burn anything.
Pakistan has a farewell dinner at the end of the school year.
Well ... Different countries of the world have their own traditions of celebration. But the common thing, perhaps, is that this day remains incredibly bright, warm, cheerful and at the same time a little sad. It's time to grow up.
A graduation party for any schoolchild or student is a significant event in life. In this regard, there was such a thing as catering for the graduation, i.e. agencies offer their services for organizing a chic prom. But still, there are traditions and in each country the holiday of farewell to studies is celebrated in different ways. Somewhere solemn balls are held, and somewhere they are limited to an informal fun party, but everywhere there are peculiarities, customs and signs. What interesting prom traditions exist in different countries of the world?
At Harvard graduation one for the whole university. Each school has a strictly designated area (like a sector in a stadium). Graduates wear gowns and hats (a gown must be rented for $ 150 - as a kind of "donation" to the university). Each robe has a lining of a certain color: if you are a bachelor, then the lining is crimson (the color of Harvard), if you received a master's degree, then the lining is the colors of your bachelor's university (for example, blue from Colombia, or green from Dartmouth College), and if you are a foreigner , then the lining should be in the colors of your national flag. At the most solemn ceremony, two students always speak: one delivers a speech in Latin by a marathon runner who ran 42 kilometers to inform the Athenians of victory, the second student makes a speech on any topic (this is considered very honorable and people usually write in the resume). The ceremony usually confers an honorary doctorate to some famous person (it is not at all necessary that he studied at Harvard). For example, J.K. Rowling, or US Senator Edward Kennedy.
In Massachusetts At the Institute of Technology, students put on a special Brass Ring at graduation - with several faces, the design of which each new course creates itself (it must be engraved with a symbol, motto, MIT seal, secret symbols of the course, graduation dates). At the time of graduation, this ring is turned over with the face on which the graduation date is written. At the unofficial part of graduation at MIT, former students throw old and unnecessary things (furniture, textbooks, electrical engineering) from the roofs of dormitories and educational buildings. The main condition is to create maximum noise.
Taiwanese campus Southern University is considered very picturesque, which is why it is called the home of angels. It is believed that upon graduation, a student can borrow one of the angels from campus as his loyal companion and protector for life. To do this, the graduate needs to touch the roof of the car with his hand when he leaves through the main gate (the angel can also be returned back - for this you just need to touch the roof of the car again when entering the university)
At Georgetown University alumni every 5-6 years unscrew the clock hands from the main tower of the Healy Hall campus and send them by parcel to the Vatican. The guards try to prevent this, but from time to time the hands still disappear from the dial.
At the University of Virginia students have an unspoken tradition - before graduation, run naked to the statue of Homer and kiss him on the buttocks. Yale alumni also love to run naked around campus.
At the University of Cambridge the graduate kneels in front of the vice-chancellor of the university, who squeezes his hands, and then awards the student a degree and presents a diploma.
At the University of Coimbra, in Portugal, each graduate becomes a participant in a colorful ceremony of burning ribbons of different colors, painted in the colors of the faculties. Ribbons, symbolizing goodbye to school and the end of student life, are burned in special pots.
At some universities in Japan There is a tradition to take KitKat chocolate mascot with you to the exams and to the graduation party, since in Japanese kitto katsu is a phrase that is consonant with the brand of a chocolate bar and translates as “I will certainly win”.
In Moscow, graduates of the Medical Academy them. I.M.Sechenov is wrapped in bandages monuments to Pirogov and Sechenov, while in St. Petersburg graduates of the Higher Naval School named after I.M. Frunze put on a vest on the monument to Ivan Fyodorovich Kruzenshtern.
Cadets of the Naval Academy and the Nakhimov School in St. Petersburg, they charge the statue of the Bronze Horseman, paying attention to the stallion under the sculpture: they polish the causal places to shine (they say that it is precisely because of this tradition that this element of the monument decreases in size every year).
At Princeton University After graduation ceremony, newly minted alumni pass through Fitzrandolph Gates, the main gate of the campus on the Nassau Street side. It is through them that they enter the real world. Moreover, it is believed that those who use this gate to exit the university before their graduation, increase their chances of dropping out of the university.
At the Moscow State Technical University. Bauman graduates in helmets ride in basins tied to cars around the hostel on Izmailovsky Prospekt. To improve sliding performance, old notes are placed under the basins. And after passing the diploma at the Moscow State Technical University. Bauman is drunk champagne from a drawing tube, and then the tubes are thrown into the river.
At the universities of Argentina it is customary to throw eggs, mustard, wine and generally what is necessary to the graduate.
In Wroclaw university alumni dress the statue of the fencer in modern and ridiculous clothing, which stands in front of the university.
And to the cadets of the Civil Engineering School them. Komarovsky every year at the prom manages to remove the school gates from the hinges.
A graduation ball or a noisy graduation party is truly one of the most important, extraordinary and emotionally intense events in the life of every person. After all, you must agree that we all come from school!
Preparing for graduation is marked by a whole range of feelings: it is troublesome and joyful, touching and pleasant at the same time. Graduates who will soon become former classmates, excited parents along with their class teacher, strict but fair teachers understand that this event is not just the end of the school year. Rather, a sentimental and, at the same time, a magical moment, consisting of many seconds of a cheerful mood, slight sadness and anxiety from parting with an expensive school, a beloved team and the expectation of something new, hitherto unknown.
School graduation is a symbolic completion of one of the significant periods in the life of every teenager, a kind of transition to a new adult life. For parents - a reason to feel a little sad and, at the same time, to be glad for the child's success, in anticipation of future victories. For teachers, it is a reason to be proud of former students.
There are many thoughts in the air: reflections on what has been achieved, prospects and plans for the future. And also on the eve of the celebration, undoubtedly, a lot of questions arise: what outfit to choose, what should be the hairstyle, where to hold the celebration, and so on?
In order to get fresh, and sometimes bold ideas and ideas, it is useful to get acquainted with the traditions and nuances of how graduation is celebrated in different countries of the world.
Celebrating graduation in other countries: interesting facts
Before starting our acquaintance with the traditions of graduation parties on other continents and continents, let us recall how farewell to school life in Russia goes.
It should be noted that our tradition of celebrating the end of school - graduation - originated in the 18th century.
Modern high school students begin to celebrate graduation, as a rule, in the second half of June. On the appointed day, within the walls of the native school, certificates are solemnly awarded, rewards for special efforts in studies, parting words from the school leadership and, no less enthusiastic, grateful speeches of graduates sound.
It is customary for girls and boys to come to the event observing the evening dress code in clothes. But, this is not a strict condition.
After the official part, the teenagers continue their informal celebration in the rented premises of the restaurant (cafe). The concept of the prom, in addition to the banquet, includes dancing and, if desired, a possible entertainment program. The budget of the event is not limited. The celebration, according to tradition, ends with the meeting of the dawn, and, along with it, the symbolic beginning of adult life.
How is graduation celebrated in different countries, for example, in Europe, the Far East or North America?
American teenagers start preparing for the "promenad" long before the event itself. Parents do not interfere in this process, except from the financial side, paying for expensive outfits, hairstyles, boutonnieres and limousines. During the last academic year, the future graduate is obliged to find a match for himself, otherwise it is not accepted.
Graduation takes place in an atmosphere of relaxed fun: with competitions and dances, but this does not exclude the supervision of the pedagogical team. At the end of the evening, the former students choose the king and queen of the ball: the most popular and beautiful boy and girl of the party. In general, everything is as shown in American youth films.
- Australia
Interestingly, in Australia, school graduation occurs at the end of November (due to the difference between the poles of the earth's hemispheres). Australian graduates are less pretentious about their appearance. Often, girls are dressed in evening dresses (without pathos), and guys - in formal suits. On the other hand, they are very sensitive to the choice of the vehicle on which they have to arrive at the solemn event. There have been cases that it was replaced by an ambulance, a luxurious retro car or a tractor!
- Sweden
Swedish graduates start celebrating their graduation in the morning. The dress code is festive (strict suits for boys and light dresses for girls). Moreover, sipping a glass of champagne and strawberries with solemn and nostalgic speeches of the director and teachers is the holy of holies! A mandatory attribute of every graduate is the presence of a white headdress - a special hat on which everyone can leave their wishes.
Then you have to ride in a bus or limousine around the city to the noisy exclamations of former classmates. This whole procession, smoothly "dissolving", flows into an evening dinner with the family and, invited on the occasion, guests. It should be noted that it is obligatory to donate practical things to the graduate, since, after graduating from school, the Swedes begin to live separately from their parents.
- Japan
But, Japanese graduates are examples of restraint and dedication to strict traditions. Not any noisy parties, inappropriate fun and, moreover, "intoxicating" drinks. The strict look of the school uniform, the restrained speech of the head of the school, the official presentation of certificates of maturity and home tea drinking in the circle of close relatives.
How to preserve the touching moments of the prom forever in your memory?
Perhaps there is something in common that unites all the graduation classes in the world - this is the desire to stop the moment and capture the best fragments in memory!
Fortunately, today's incredibly cool technologies in the field of photography and printing give us this opportunity! And the mega-professional RHINODESIGN team is the best specialists: photographers, designers, layout designers, who approach their work with love and creativity. They know how to find the key to each Client, embodying his most daring ideas and intentions in the most relaxed atmosphere.
You can place an order for the production of a graduation photo album in Moscow and other cities of Russia and the CIS countries on our website by clicking "Leave a request".
We get only "live" shots that will help you keep the brightest impressions and unforgettable emotions of the prom!
The prom is one of the most anticipated events in the life of every student. It is this day that completes the series of exams and symbolizes the transition to adulthood. Someone has already decided on the choice of a future profession, while someone is still thinking. Nevertheless, the graduation party is never left without the attention of schoolchildren. Everyone knows the traditions of celebrating a graduation party in Russia, but what about other countries? City + has studied this issue and invites you to find out how graduation is celebrated in America, Norway, Germany, Japan and Poland.
Graduation in Russia
A series of proms in Russia traditionally begins in the second half of June. However, preparation for the holiday begins much earlier. The official ceremony of the evening in each school takes place according to the established canon: the presentation of medals, certificates and parting words of the leadership of the educational institution.
There are also some exceptions to the rule. So, in some regions of Russia, the solemn part begins with the laying of flowers at the monuments to the participants of the Great Patriotic War.
In Moscow, the graduation party usually takes place on the night of June 23-24. Recently, schoolchildren in the capital have abandoned the tradition of choosing cafes and spend the final day of school time at large city venues.
In the northern capital, proms have received a special status. Petersburg schoolchildren are given the opportunity to visit the already international festival "Scarlet Sails", which this year will be held for the eleventh time. The detailed program of "Scarlet Sails-2015" can be found
Of course, the subtleties and nuances of each city do not exclude a concert program, school balls and discos, after which former schoolchildren meet the dawn.
Graduation in the USA
Image source: alapdetbibl.blogspot.ru
The so-called degree day or graduation evening in the United States is also associated with the student's transition to a new level of education. American schoolchildren manage to celebrate such an evening more than once, since similar ceremonies are also held in higher educational institutions after students receive their next academic degree (bachelor's, master's). Thanks to American films, it is no secret to anyone that there is another significant tradition - tossing academic caps into the air.
The official part of the ceremony often begins with demonstration marches and speeches. Only after that, graduates are awarded a diploma, marking the end of the school.
Graduation in Norway
Image source: www.anons.uz
In Norway, the graduation party, or rather the two-week celebration, is being prepared very carefully. Each graduate knows for sure that it is necessary to prepare a multi-colored jumpsuit for graduation. This tradition can be compared with our tradition, preserved from the Soviet times, to wear bows and white aprons to the last bell.
Graduates in Norway dress up in different colored overalls and have fun all 14 days. On the night of May 1, classmates write notes to each other on their suits. It is worth noting that schoolchildren choose the color of the overalls deliberately - it should indicate the future profession of the graduate. Blue overalls are for those who will go to university, red ones for those who will work in economics, black ones for future technicians, and white ones for athletes.
Graduation in Germany
Image source: vk.com
In Germany, graduation takes place after the announcement of the results of the final exams. The traditional ball is held in late spring or early summer.
German schoolchildren have their own special tradition - it is "Abifeier" or "certificate celebration" - an informal holiday. It is organized by the students and the initiators can make fun of the teachers in a friendly way.
This is followed by "Abiball" - a formal prom with a dress code. At the graduation party in Germany, it is allowed to drink alcohol, since the laws of the country are allowed to drink beer and wine from the age of 16, and many graduates at the time of graduation are already 18 years old or more.
Image source: kaluga24.tv
Japanese alumni are among the first to celebrate their graduation party - as a rule, the evening takes place in the last days of March, as the new school year is due to begin in April.
The Japanese prom is distinguished by the absence of festive outfits and lush hairstyles - schoolchildren come to this holiday in casual clothes: girls in traditional sailor uniforms, boys in black school uniforms.
The graduation ceremony, as elsewhere, is held in the large assembly hall of the school. First, the floor is given to the director, then the best students are invited to the stage to say thanks. After the official part and the presentation of diplomas, each graduate is awarded an album with photographs of classmates. As a rule, at the end of the solemn part, all guests go home.
Graduation in Poland
Image source: kraj.by
S todniowka is the name of the graduation ceremony in Poland. The traditional prom is held one hundred days before graduation. It begins with a polonaise, with the first pair in the polonaise being the headmaster with a graduate or alumnus. This is followed by the official part with the presentation of diplomas and welcoming words.
American promenade
In the USA and Canada, graduation is called prom(short for promenade), that is, a ball in honor of the end of the school year. By the way, not only school graduates can become its participants. A special committee is in charge of organizing such balls.
The guys usually prepare for the prom: they are looking for a mate long before the ball. Moreover, it can be either one of the students or a person "from the outside". However, in some schools there is an age restriction: you cannot invite guests over 21 years old. And if a graduate does not have a couple, this does not interfere with coming to the ball in splendid isolation or with a group of friends.
The formal dress code usually applies to the ball: boys 
come in black or white tuxedos, and girls - in evening dresses (sometimes cocktail dresses are allowed). A young man should find out what kind of dress the girl has and buy a flower bracelet for it, or a boutonniere, which is attached to the dress of his chosen one, and the girl buys a flower for her companion in the buttonhole of the suit. According to tradition, a young man must come for the girl he will accompany in a limousine.
The venue for the ball can be a school or a specially rented hall. A buffet table and dances are traditional on this holiday. Moreover, it is customary to dance at the prom with the one with whom the graduate came to the ball. Dancing with someone else's boyfriend or girlfriend is not allowed at such events.
Alcohol is generally prohibited at such events. Moreover, the school director himself often makes sure that all the participants in the ball are sober.
The final chord of the prom in America is the solemn announcement of the king and queen of the ball, who are elected by a school-wide vote.
Graduation in European style
The traditions of holding graduation balls in America are similar to the traditions of celebrating graduations in Great Britain and Ireland, only they have different names: in Great Britain - school formal, and in Ireland - grad(short for graduation) or debs(short for debutant ball). Unlike traditional graduation balls, which in Russia occur at the beginning of summer, in Austrian and Czech gymnasiums they are usually held in January or February, before the start of exams. Graduates can invite their parents and other relatives to these balls. Sometimes several schools hold a joint prom.
Australia: respect for originality
If in America a limousine is considered a mandatory attribute of a prom, then in Australia it is a sign 
you just. The main feature of Australian school graduates is originality. The more unusual the vehicle in which the graduate decides to go to the ball, the better. Therefore, everything that moves is chosen for this - a rare convertible, an ambulance, a fire engine, or even a tractor or an ordinary construction car.
Japanese rigor
Graduation parties in Japan are held very seriously and strictly: the general line, the director's speech, the presentation of diplomas. About any ball gowns and evening costumes, about any discos, and there is no talk. All graduates must be in school uniforms. But at the end of the school event, already at home. you can have fun until you drop.
Germany: informal prom
In Germany, graduation is celebrated twice. Informal 
the celebration is called Abifeier(Abi is an abbreviation for the German name for attestation, Abitur, and feier is a celebration.) Typically, students organize events in which they poke fun at the teachers in a friendly way. And the official graduation ceremony is followed by Abiball- a prom with a formal dress code.
Italian party
There is no official prom in Italy. Graduates usually organize an informal party themselves called i cento giorni(one hundred days). It takes place 100 days before the final exams in a place that they themselves choose for this. Usually, each class has a separate graduation ceremony.
Polish inventors
In Poland, instead of graduation, there is a stodniowka - a ball that is held one hundred days before leaving school (around the end of January). It certainly begins with a polonaise, and the first pair in a polonaise is the headmaster with one of the graduates (or graduates). This is followed by speeches and toasts with champagne, dances, skits and other fun. Graduation balls are usually held in a restaurant. Young men come to the holiday in three-piece suits or even tuxedos, and girls - in evening dresses, as a rule, in dark colors. These parties usually end in the morning ... in a pub or club.
French carnival
But in France, the celebration of graduation balls is much more difficult. The point is that all levels 
education - from kindergarten to high school - can be located not only in different buildings, but also in different cities. Therefore, the graduation party in France is practically not held anywhere. But this does not prevent the graduates from having fun from the heart by arranging a costume party. Typically, such a carnival is held in schools a hundred days before the single final exam. On these days, students have every right not to go to school, but to have fun with might and main. They dress up in carnival costumes, pour water on the rest of the schoolchildren, throw flour and eggs at them. Therefore, on this day, the school gates are locked from morning to evening. And everyone who wants (or does not want) to get caught can stay at home and not study.