Graduation is a special time for students, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. At Scituate High School, one way students celebrate this achievement is by decorating their graduation mortarboard caps. This trend allows graduates to express their personalities, share messages, and showcase their interests. Whether through bright colors, inspirational quotes, or fun designs, decorated caps add a unique touch to the graduation ceremony, making the day even more memorable.
SHS senior Emma Braun is known for her artistic talent and outgoing personality. She plans to attend Villanova University in the fall with a major in psychology and a minor in neuroscience. In discussing plans for her cap decoration, Braun stated, “I wasn’t in love with any of the ideas I saw, so I decided to make up my own design.” Braun has already created a rough draft of a wildcat with sparkly cardstock for the background. With her extensive art background, Braun plans to literally tie in her talent, looping the word Villanova around her drawing. Braun hopes other students and teachers will appreciate her originality, but more importantly, she wants to be happy with the final product.
Another friendly face in the halls, senior Lindsay Thurling, has big plans to decorate her graduation cap. Thurling, who will attend Sacred Heart University in the fall as a fashion merchandising and digital marketing major, has considered how she will decorate her graduation cap since she decorated her older brother’s cap four years ago. She plans to use rhinestones, a bedazzling pen, and heat-erase pens to perfect her project. Thurling hopes her graduation cap will represent her kind, outgoing, and energetic personality.
We asked Braun and Thurling if they were happy to finish high school or sad to leave. Both Braun and Thurling confessed that the experience is bittersweet. Thurling said she is sad to leave but will always cherish the memories she has made throughout her elementary, middle, and high school years. Braun, however, said she is “ready to move on”: “I will miss many of the people I’ve met, but I’m excited, and very nervous, to enter this next stage of my life.”
When asked to offer advice to younger students, Braun encouraged rising seniors to challenge themselves with different classes but not to overwork themselves. She doesn’t regret taking difficult classes but wishes she had pushed herself less, as she frequently felt burnt out. Braun also emphasized the importance of being kind to yourself. Noting that “it’s hard not to beat yourself up over a bad grade,” she advises future seniors to learn from it and move on. Thurling, on the other hand, offered short but very valuable guidance: “Don’t be afraid to speak your mind because high school is not the end of your life.”