Second semester is just around the corner, and no one is more excited than the class of 2026. The next few months will fly by quickly, and no one will be feeling the speed quite like the seniors. And with the end of the school year comes parties, ceremonies, hugs, tears, and the like. But like any important step in one life, high school graduation comes with a hefty financial burden for many. This article will cover how the idea of graduation has been corporatized, sold, and profited on at every turn of the way, draining parent’s pockets and twisting the true importance of graduation even after our seniors are out the door.
Jostens – Are You Really Going to Use This Stuff?
If you’re a senior at WHS, or have a sibling that has graduated, then you are likely familiar with Jostens. Jostens is the company that supplies WHS students with all things swag-related when it comes to graduation. Caps, gowns, tassels, rings, letterman jackets, shirts, sweat pants, hoodies, etc. If you want it, Jostens has it. And while Jostens prides itself in helping families celebrate life’s big milestones, as well as being environmentally friendly, is all this stuff really needed in order to have the best graduation?
Let’s take a look at some of the items they’re selling. Of course, we have your classic memorabilia of class rings; likely something that your parents got when they graduated. And you can have your own class ring, too! All for the price of . . . $420 to $640? Pardon? Ok, maybe you want something cheaper, like a letterman jacket for . . . $300? Or maybe a graduation package for $450? No? Well, neither do I.
While Woodinville is a more affluent community than most, that doesn’t mean that everyone can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on these ‘big milestone’ items. Graduating is an incredibly exciting moment for many of us, but does it call for such spending? I fully believe that one can have just as amazing graduation without having to succumb to such prices. And let’s be honest. Does anyone really wear ‘2026 graduate’ items after they graduate? Have you ever seen someone wearing their WHS gear after graduating high school? Do you really need to spend $450 on a Graduate Package for those tapered sweatpants and announcement cards? Most likely not. And that letterman jacket? It’s going to be sitting in your closet until you maybe wear it once every five years to your class’s high school reunion.
While other companies do pull the same moves, Jostens caught my attention as a company for, dare I say, how materialistic everything was. And while I mean that in a literal sense, I also mean it in a figurative sense. Graduation is more than a moment, and certainly more than an overpriced keychain and embroidered hoodie. To insist that everyone needs all this stuff to celebrate such a moment in a young person’s life is overkill, and it feels shallow. And while the quality of the items Jostens sells looks to be good, and the products are genuine, they don’t need to be bought and sold in the first place. None of the extra items, apart from maybe a cap and gown, are needed to truly celebrate graduation the way it should be; with family, friends, and the memories that have been made over the past few years. Memories that will live in the stories we share to our children or to our friends later down the road. Such memories cannot be preserved in a ‘2026 grad’ t-shirt.
Grad Nights – Something We’ll Always Remember?
As yet another way to celebrate graduation, our school teams up with Grad Nights, a company known for hosting rather grandiose parties that (allegedly) the entire senior class can enjoy. The location and activities of the party changes every year, and students get to vote from a wide array of locations, of which one will be attended. Sounds fun, right? Well, you’d probably be correct. Staying up late with friends, partaking in a multitude of activities with endless supplies to food to keep you fueled. I am not saying that any of this doesn’t sound like a blast, but there are always some downsides.
Upon looking at the gradnights.com website, you’ll see photos of excited high schoolers engaging in some of the activities that are mentioned on the website. There are tabs that list types of entertainment, food options, and locations. One of the first things I noticed was a lack of any mention of a quiet space for our more introverted seniors. That seems to be a theme of extremely extroverted activities. This may be a turn-off for seniors that have shorter social batteries, or seniors that more easily become overwhelmed or overstimulated. Also, the idea that the graduating class has no clue which venue they’re going to is a bit frustrating. $235 for a grad night ticket is a lot of money, especially since you’re not guaranteed to go to the venue of your choosing. There are also very few photos of those who attended the events over the years, and many of the photos appear to be from the early-late 2000s, based on the outfit styles of the students photographed. And while you can read a plethora of reviews left from previous years, most of the reviews seem to be from parents and school staff, not from students themselves.
Take everything I’ve said in this article with a grain of salt. The complaints I have given are merely my own, and I would never encourage anyone to miss out on merch or event opportunities that they truly want to engage with. But Jostens and Grad Nights are two examples of an overarching issue with graduation – corporatization of life’s milestones. What was once an important “moment” in a young person’s life has been transformed into an “event”, only achievable with the partnership of some brand or company. Overpriced senior merchandise and overstimulating 400-person events strip this milestone of its intimacy. Let’s be honest. You’re not going to wear the ‘class of 2026’ shirts once you graduate. You’re not going to wear the ring or the letterman’s jacket. You may remember the giant party held for the grade, but like I stated before, such a party may not be as memorable for those who are less extroverted. However you wish to celebrate your graduation, celebrate the way you want to celebrate, not the way everyone else wishes to celebrate. After all, most of us only graduate from high school once, so make the most of this moment, and you’ll remember it for decades to come!
