6-5-23 Emerald Media Group - Graduation Guide

NEWSROOM

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Hannarose McGuinness

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

Brandon Roth

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Sarah Matlick

NEWS EDITORS

Alexis Weisend

Gavin Gamez

Caleb Barber

A&C EDITORS

Krista Kroiss

Evan Reynolds

SPORTS EDITORS

Aaron Heisen

Mojo Hill

OPINION EDITORS

Emma J Nelson

Sophia Cossette

PHOTO EDITOR Maddie Stellingwerf

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Ian Enger

DESIGN EDITOR

Liz Blodgett

COPY CHIEF

Amanda Lurey

ASSOCIATE COPY EDITORS

Dylan Farrell Logan Robertson

VIDEO EDITOR Troy Munson

PODCAST EDITOR

Jamie Diep

SOCIALS EDITOR

Jennifer Singh

VISUALS EDITOR

Julia Stalnaker

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Bill Kunerth X317 bkunerth@dailyemerald.com

VP OPERATIONS Kathy Carbone X302 kcarbone@dailyemerald.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES & DIGITAL MARKETING

Shelly Rondestvedt X303 srondestvedt@dailyemerald.com

CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Anna Smith X327 creative@dailyemerald.com

STUDENT SALES MANAGER

Amy Mendez

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Riley Valle

Keaton Roberts

Max Goldenberg

Josh Delapena

ON THE COVER

Bryn OBrien, Madison Ridolf, and Cale Crueger are all graduating seniors from various schools around campus. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

FOR YOU

SENIOR MEMORIES SENIOR MEMORIES

UO Seniors reflect and share one of their favorite memories from their time in Eugene

My favorite college memories were my long coffee breaks and late-night bar hours with friends. In the cafes, I get to have the most interesting conversations while in the bars everyone let loose. College allowed me to be both serious while also having lots of fun."

My favorite memory of my time in college was picnicking on New year's eve and watching fireworks in Taipei while studying abroad."

My favorite memory from college was studying abroad in London last summer! I spent the 4th of July on the London eye and learning about how the U.S. is perceived by other countries in a hole-in-the-wall pub with my classmates.

Sarah Matlick, BA in Public Relations

My favorite moments from college are sitting on the couch with all of my friends in the Emerald office, talking about journalism, our lives and the vibe at Rennie's the night before. This very special couch holds a lot of coffee stains and a lot of memories.

Alexis Weinsed, BA in Polical Science and Journalism

My favorite memory from the UO is how much coverage the 2022 Spring game received from surrounding media stations. #nooceansineugene

Brandon Roth, BS in Journalism

Jaime Diep, BA in General Music and Anthropology

Jennifer Singh, BA in Journalism

NAVIGATING GRADUATION COSTS

Students face many expenses during graduation season

With graduation just around the corner, University of Oregon graduates have a lot on their plate, including many graduation expenses.

The Duck Store website advertises its three Graduation Package options for each degree type to students first. Bachelor’s options are the least expensive, starting at $98, while master’s start at $143 and Ph.D. at $213. Each Package includes a gown, cap, diploma cover, tassel, a University of Oregon Alumni Association membership and a Duck Store gift card, as well as covers the commencement fee. The more expensive packages include extra items such as stoles and diploma frames.

While UO’s Grad Checklist page directs users to the three graduation package offers, there is the option to buy items individually.

Bachelor’s gowns are listed at $60, with caps at $13.

Master’s gowns are similar at $65 and Doctorate’s gowns are $70.

But some of these prices are not realistic for all graduating students. This is why the Student Sustainability Center started its Grad Gown Share program. Each year, it loans out donated graduation gowns to students who are not able to or do not wish to pay for their own gowns. After graduation, students return the gowns to be used the next year.

“We wanted to do two things. We wanted to reduce the amount of cost that it would take to join in commencement. We also wanted to reduce the amount of waste associated with it,” Taylor McHolm, SSC director, said. “Any time we can reduce waste and reduce a cost barrier, we’re doing our job.”

On commencement day, the SSC will be tabling outside of Autzen with donation bins for graduation regalia. McHolm said he hopes for the SSC to have collection points at shuttle locations.

There will be donation bins at the SSC in the EMU over the summer for graduates to return or donate their gowns.

McHolm said the SSC has become a central spot on campus for free graduation gowns for students and that it is trying to increase their supply for future years. He encourages graduates to donate their gowns after graduation.

BY ALISA DOUGHERTY

On top of the common regalia for graduation, like a cap and gown, there are many other common additions that many graduates often like to participate in that create extra expenses. A few examples of these include graduation photos and announcements for friends and family, graduation parties to celebrate, and the travel and hotel costs for family members who live far away who would like to be present for the ceremony. The

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Duck Store also sells additional items such as flowers, leis, teddy bears and t-shirts.

Recent first-generation graduate Derek Evans said he took his own graduation photos because of how much graduation expenses add up quickly.

“All the expenditures of college, every single time that they come up, it’s like a complete blindside to me because it’s not really an advertised thing, it's just something that you kind of have to unfortunately find out. It kind of takes the fun and celebration out of graduating when you realize, ‘Oh man, that’s another credit card charge that I’m going to have to pay off down the line,’” Evans said. “I just don’t really have the money for that, and I know I’m not alone in that.”

Evans extended an offer to other graduates to take their photos for a reduced cost, or for free if needed, and said he didn’t mind doing a few photo sessions for free.

“I think it’s fun to walk around and take pictures of people and get to know them and give them something that they’re going to be able to hold onto for years and not have to worry about it right now when they should just be celebrating instead of having to worry about one extra finance,” Evans said. The university’s Basic Needs Program is also available for students who need financial assistance for graduation regalia.

(Julia Stalnaker/Emerald)

The University of Oregon will bring back departmental graduation ceremonies for graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences after deciding to only hold five ceremonies. Still, CAS seniors are disappointed to have a commencement ceremony different from the one they had imagined.

In February of this year, the Daily Emerald broke the news that CAS wouldn’t hold its usual departmental commencement ceremonies after receiving emails sent from former Interim President Patrick Phillips and CAS Dean Chris Poulsen. Originally, UO officials said CAS would individually recognize all of their graduates in Autzen Stadium after the main university celebration. But after a petition to bring departmental ceremonies received over 3,700 signatures, CAS announced in March on its website that it would hold five commencement ceremonies for humanities majors, natural sciences majors, social sciences majors, the School of Global Studies and Languages and CAS Master’s and PhD students. However, some students still aren’t happy with the decision.

Maddie Picaro, a senior and a computer science student, said that not having a departmental ceremony feels very impersonal. She said that it’s awkward to lump together majors that might not share the same experience throughout their time in college.

“It’s not the small ceremony,” Picaro said. “I would love to shake my department head’s hand, and I would have loved seeing the professors I got to work with and all the graduate and PhD students who helped me through my classes.”

Picaro said she considered not even attending the natural sciences departmental ceremony that

‘I’M THE YEAR THAT GOT UNLUCKY’

‘I’M THE YEAR THAT GOT UNLUCKY

BY REILLY NORGREN

computer science majors are grouped into along with majors like chemistry and biology, but she will because her family wants to watch her receive her diploma.

“It feels very corporate,” Picaro said. “I wonder if I had gone to another university, would this have happened?”

Kelly Schombert, a double major in computer science and art and technology, said that the announcement in February that there would not be departmental ceremonies resulted in a lot of anger.

“I just chalk it up to, well, I’m the year that got unlucky,” Schombert said. “We’ve gone through enough with our freshman year being cut short by COVID, and then two more years in the middle of COVID craziness, and this right at the finish line.”

She said that splitting CAS into only five departmental ceremonies feels like a rushed solution. As a student with two majors, she was faced with potentially trying to attend two ceremonies in one day and having her family watching different ceremonies for hours. She said she hopes if this is to happen again there should be some consideration for spreading the ceremonies over a few days, not just one.

“I think the whole thing is weird,” Schombert said. “It really highlights that they did not put a ton of thought into this and they’re just like ‘oh break it up, we’ll make it work.’”

But things are set to return to normal starting next year.

A motion to the UO Senate proposed by Bill Harbaugh, professor of economics, asked for commencement ceremonies to be held on the weekend immediately after finals, and to form an advisory group to work on improving commencement ceremonies.

The motion passed in March.

Harbaugh’s blog, UO Matters, released an email from Interim Provost Janet Woodruff-Borden on May 12 to commencement advisory work group members stating that she and Interim President Jamie Moffitt confirmed that CAS departmental ceremonies will be permitted for 2024 commencement.

The email stated that from 2024-2028, commencement activities would take place across two days — the Sunday and Monday following finals week, not that Saturday and Sunday like the motion by Harbaugh had requested.

Historically, department-level commencement ceremonies are usually held the day before or the day of UO’s main commencement ceremony. But since the day before this year’s commencement is Juneteenth, all school and college ceremonies must occur on June 20, a Tuesday, Phillips said in an email obtained by the Emerald in February.

Currently, the Saturday after finals week in 2024 is when the Nike Outdoor Nationals are scheduled to be held at UO. In both 2025 and 2026, that Saturday is scheduled for the NCAA championships. In 2010, conflict with the NCAA Track and Field Championships caused commencement to be moved from the Saturday to the Monday following finals week.

“With these bigger ceremonies, nobody really knows what to expect,” Schombert said. “Nobody really knows how to plan for it. Can I expect to sit with my friends? When should my parents come? When should they not come? That’s the most frustrating part.”

The University of Oregon’s College of Arts and Sciences will bring back departmental graduation ceremonies for 2024 commencement. But this year’s graduates will only have five ceremonies rather than ceremonies for individual majors.

Graduates are all smiles after the commencement ceremony comes to a close and graduation festivities begin. University of Oregon holds its 2022 Commencement Ceremony at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on June 13, 2022. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

Sponsored Content written by Lauren Leone Graduation is right around the corner, which means now is the perfect time to pick out gifts for your friends and family members that will be donning their green robes and taking those monumental steps across the stage to receive their diplomas.

For many graduates, packing up their belongings and moving out of Eugene is next on their schedules after graduation, so getting them a University of Oregon-themed gift can serve as a heartwarming reminder of their last 4+ years on this beautiful campus.

If you’re looking to buy a quick and easy grad gift for any friends and family members, The Duck Store is your one-stop shop for all things graduation. Here are some of my favorite UO memorabilia that will be a meaningful gift for any grad!

UO Duck Apparel

Sweatshirts, polos, and hats, oh my! No matter what type of clothes you’re looking for, The Duck Store has it all. I highly recommend taking home a UO hat for sunny weather, or a comfy long-sleeve tee so you can rep your Oregon pride no matter where you are!

16oz Old School Tankard

Say cheers to all of your accomplishments with this UO-themed beer tankard. Perfect for beers, ales, ciders, and everything in between, this glassware is a great piece of memorabilia to reminisce on your amazing college years!

UO Picture Frame

This is a great gift for any graduate leaving Eugene and moving home. Take a piece of Eugene with you by filling the frame with a photo from graduation, or a favorite campus memory. Whichever you choose, those positive memories will come flooding back at every glance.

UO Blankets

Reminisce UO staples like Autzen Stadium, Matthew Knight Arena, and Hayward Field with this UO blanket, or if you’re a board game lover, the UO Scrabble blanket is the one for you! Perfect for getting comfy on the couch on cold nights, these fringe blankets are a living room essential.

Tan & Green Ceramic Mug

Everyone needs their own personal mug, so why not make it UO themed? Whether you’re sipping your morning coffee, a soothing tea, or a late-night hot cocoa, these ceramic mugs are always a great gift, so why not make it UO themed?

Yellow Nylon UO Flag

Bring a touch of Eugene into your room or home with this UO flag. Perfect above your headboard, desk, or on a wall, this silk flag is a great way to add a little college decor to your home!

Since Day 1 over 100 years ago, student team members have been an essential part of our team. Their time with us ranges from seasonal to part-time and more, providing them with new skills and perspectives, and preparing them for a future beyond The Duck Store.

We’re proud to be a part of our team members’ University of Oregon experience, championing their potential both now as students and into their futures. Join us in celebrating over a dozen of our graduating team members at tds.tw/tdsgrads23

MORALES: GRADUATING IS NOT THAT SIMPLE

Opinion: Upcoming graduates are often asked the flawed question of “What are you going to do after you graduate?” It is important to highlight the differences among those who worked hard to get to where they are today and what they will do in the future.

BY ANTONIO MORALES

Spring term is slowly coming to an end and with it, graduates prepare to take the next steps into a new period of adulthood. As a graduating senior myself, I am often asked the question “What are you going to do after you graduate?” My initial feelings are always an influx of anxiety and that maybe I have not done enough.

Honestly, I am sick of this question and think it is incredibly flawed. There are too many questions and not enough answers for everyone in this transition period. For this reason, I feel that it is necessary to showcase the differences among the graduating class.

In my quest to show the many perspectives of what it means to graduate undergrad, I spoke with three members of the class of 2023: Nisha Kyathsandra, Isabella Garcia and Gabe Nichols. Kyathsandra is majoring in human physiology and minoring in chemistry. Garcia is finishing her time at the UO with an advertising major and entrepreneurship minor. Nichols, like Kyathsandra, is a STEM student with a major in biology and a minor in both global health and anthropology. Although this diverse set of academic scholars may just be a small percent of the graduating class, their experiences and how they feel about their

EDITORIAL

CARTOON:

plans are both interesting and important to share.

The pressure to fit into society right away after graduation is an unfair expectation to put onto any 21- to 22-year-old. Chances are, not everyone is going to know exactly what they want to do and where they want to be. However, there will always be someone who has a good idea of what they want.

Nichols, for example, vividly described his plans to move back to the East Coast with the goal of moving to Pittsburgh where he’ll “hopefully get [his] masters schooling paid for after a couple years of work and then go for a masters in public health.” Nichols plans on relying on research lab positions, but ultimately desires the opportunity to work in the field, helping any local community needing improved public health systems.

Kyathsandra plans on moving to Chicago where she will take a gap year before she ultimately attends medical school in the fall of 2024. Similar to Nichols, Kyathsandra will be seeking clinical research lab positions in a new city. She used a lot of campus tools and opportunities to be able to find herself in this fortunate position.

Other graduates may be like Garcia, who differs from these two other students as she only had a vague understanding of what she plans to do.

Graduation Question

BY ANTONIO MORALES

She has however been applying to many different positions across the West Coast and is open to finding advertising or event management positions overseas if the opportunity arises. As she had a widely different perspective on her future plans, I asked how it made her feel when someone asked her about her post-grad plans.

“They don’t expect this long answer about your philosophy about how you are moving to the next stage of life. Sometimes I’m just not sure,” Garcia said. “It’s not something that I fear answering because I think we have definitely moved into being ok with not knowing what’s next, especially with the pandemic.”

Garcia emphasized that there is “definitely pressure” in regards to making one’s family proud. She also highlighted the fact that one of the biggest reasons for pre-graduation anxiety is that she feels as if the jobs she is applying to are the “right” things to do, regardless of whether or not she is ready to commit to a static career in her early 20s.

When asked the same question, both Kyathsandra and Nichols emphasized their increased anxiety. Kyathsandra noted that, because she has known what she wanted to do for a long time, it has made this transition “definitely nerve racking.” Nichols on the other-hand believes this transition is a “scary thing” but is proud of his lofty goals and is excited to begin this new chapter in life.

All of these perspectives have allowed me to see the true meaning of graduating college. It is not that we should be afraid of what lies ahead, but that we should follow our gut and choose happiness over anything else. Even though most graduates do not have a clear understanding of their future, they are proud of getting to this position regardless of whether or not they have surpassed their expectations. Graduating college is an accomplishment that should not be limited to the question, “What are you going to do after you graduate?”

Instead we should ask, “Are you excited to graduate?” as this is a more important question than following into the trap that assumes that someone in their early twenties has their life together.

We are almost ready.

Good luck to the class of 2023.

Antonio Morales is an editorial cartoonist for the Daily Emerald. He is a fourth-year student studying History and Anthropology. Antonio’s cartoons emphasize the cultural and social significance of current events and its direct impact on UO.

As college seniors, students are familiar with the routine of climbing to the top of the totem pole only to fall back to the bottom. But for the first time, this transition is not followed by a new set of syllabi and a refurbished freshman facade. Former students must learn to work their way up in the working world, a place unfamiliar and unexplored. For some, this prospect is exciting, for others: entirely daunting.

When they were freshmen, many of UO’s current seniors reported feeling disoriented and unsure. As they fell into place with their majors, clubs, teams and student organizations, what was once a big scary school became a place of comfort.

“When I first got to UO I felt very small and like a fish

PREPARING FOR A NEW CHAPTER

Graduating seniors reflect on the communities they have built and anxieties for the future.

BY JESS MCCOMB

out of water,” Ella Hutcherson, a senior journalism student at UO, said. “But as college has gone on my circles have gotten smaller and more richer.”

Hutcherson attributes getting involved at Ethos magazine as a large reason why she now feels a sense of belonging at UO. Hutcherson started as a fact checker and writer to then assume an associate editor position and eventually work her way up to her current title as managing editor.

A part of the shrinking effect of getting involved is being surrounded by those who share your same passions. Within like-mindedness, circles grow tighter and individual passion intensifies. Chrissy Booker, founder of Labyrinth magazine and senior at UO, said her experience at UO has been strengthened immensely by starting up Labyrinth.

“I've learned so much from the people around me and I really cultivated a strong community of people I can rely on,” Booker said. “We created something that we're really passionate about, and that we're really proud of.”

Maxwell Ely, ASUO General Chief of Staff and senior at UO, also said getting involved helped him to establish a sense of community. Ely said he has made a bulk of his friendships through working with ASUO and that those relationships now feel like a family.

While friendship is important for support, happiness and general well-being, as we get older friendship gains new value. “Your network is your

net worth,” graduate student and football player Casey Rogers said.

“The biggest shame I see is people who go through college and just sit in their room and do what they got to do,” Rogers said. “There's so many resources out there, so many clubs. There's so many relationships out there that can be formed, just by getting involved and talking to people.”

Down the line, the friendship you made in that random club you decided to join freshman year may just be the connecting dot to acquire new opportunities such as a job or internship.

“When you go out for jobs, a lot of times it's not about what you know, it's about who you know,” Rogers said. “So the more people you know, and the more people know your name.”

At a school of nearly 24,000 students, the prospect of being a well-known name may seem impossible. For those who aren’t graduating, the best way to be known is to be involved. The UO is home to over 300 clubs and organizations, which is over 300 opportunities to become ingrained in the UO community. Hutcherson said getting involved has helped her become established in the city of Eugene and on campus.

Bryn OBrien, Madison Ridolf, and Cale Crueger are all graduating seniors from various schools around campus. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

You are laying a foundation for the rest of your life, the relationships you make at UO and the involvement you engage in during your time there doesn’t disappear when you graduate.”

ELLA HUTCHERSON UO journalism senior

“You are laying a foundation for the rest of your life, the relationships you make at UO and the involvement you engage in during your time there doesn’t disappear when you graduate,” Hutcherson said. “It continues to shape your life and make it richer and more fulfilling forever.”

For some, the idea of leaving the community they have become so involved in is terrifying. To go from high positions of authority in student publications, organizations and teams to being the new kid is disorienting and often humbling. Seniors become big fish in a small pond and graduate to the ocean.

“Being thrown into a new community, a different space with different people, and going into the workforce with people who have been in their career for 20 or 30, 40 plus years is scary,” Booker said. “You're the baby again. So yes I'm scared, but I'm also excited to learn from the people who have had these experiences.”

For Ely, that new community is still unknown. Like many other seniors, Ely is still in the process of finding a job post-grad and said he is, for the first time in his life, unsure what the next step will be. Until now, most college students' paths have been a process of going through the motions — go to high school, apply for college, get into college, go to college and graduate. But when the next step isn’t readily available for students post-grad, anxieties emerge.

“I have no clue where I'm gonna end up. I am pretty much open to moving anywhere where I find a job,” Ely said. “So I could end up on the other side of the country or in a different country entirely. That uncertainty is very nerve-wracking, but also exciting.”

While post-grad fear can feel more debilitating than other fears, after four years many have forgotten that same fear was present at the beginning of college.

“There's a lot of anxiety going into the real world, but it's kind of like that feeling of going to college for the first time,” Rogers said. “We had to take care of ourselves, and mom isn't there to do laundry, and you have to cook for yourself or find food. It's intimidating, but at the same time you figure it out.”

While both Booker and Hutcherson have their next step lined up with Snowden internships, a program that places students in a town in Oregon to work for a certain publication for the summer, the real world still feels fast approaching and daunting. Hutcherson said Snowden feels like an extension of college where she can pretend she hasn’t graduated yet. Booker said while she is trying to live in the moment and be immersed in Snowden, she can’t help but look forward and worry about what's next.

Employment is a huge unknown moving out of college, but just as significantly, building up a new community can also seem impossible. Ely anticipates making new connections after college but has expressed anxiety over the nature of how such connections will be able to form.

“The environments for meeting people outside of college compared to inside of college are very different,” Ely said. “A lot of people I know on campus, I met on campus doing activities, and so the idea of trying to become friends with new people that are just in the same living area that I am is kind of nerve-wracking.”

Although uncertainty and anxiety are natural, Hutcherson said she doesn’t think seniors give themselves enough credit for what they are capable of. The fear of failure tends to linger in the back of the mind and cloud the realization of how far one has come already. Along the way, skills are developed and confidence gained and the process of familiarizing oneself in a new environment becomes less daunting.

“I feel like now that I have done it here I know it is possible to do it again,” Hutcherson said. “I don’t know if you ever feel comfortable 100% but I got there to a point which just proves it can happen again. Moving forward I will be able to have more confidence in the future knowing I will eventually get to a point where I’m comfortable.”

Many students feel graduation is bittersweet. After years of forming traditions and making Eugene feel like home, it can be hard to let go. But after all, it is only the end of an era, not the absolute end.

“College seems like it's the pinnacle of our lives—you're young, and you're fun and it's exciting, but that doesn't have to stop just because you graduate,” Booker said. “There's so much more to life, I'm 21 I have so much more life to live, it's really not the end.”

At the end of it all, no matter what is coming next and what fears may be attached to such possibilities, the end of college marks a time for reflection on the gift of memories. When one graduates, they bring their experiences and relationships with them. While those relationships may change in spatial nature, they are not gone forever. As always, once a Duck always a Duck.

Maddie Olsen is a graduating senior from the business school.(Molly McPherson/Emerald)

Jared Horn enjoys his last experience in Autzen after four years of countless memories in his favorite spot on campus. (Jonathan Suni, Emerald)

Editor’s Note: Ella Hutcherson is the managing editor at Ethos, a magazine under the Emerald Media Group. Hutcherson had no say or role in the writing, editing or publishing of this story.

ANTONIO MORALES

Hot — Leaving the allergy hot bed of Eugene I will finally be able to go outside in the spring without dying.

Not — Figuring out what to do with my life

Graduating will leave me without the academic structure that I’ve been relying on since 2006.

CAITLIN TAPIA

Hot — Having money in my bank account

Am I really looking forward to joining corporate America and going to work every day? No. But no longer working ridiculous hours for minimum wage sounds pretty nice to me.

Not — Moving

I don’t consider myself to own all that many belongings. However, nothing makes me want to sell everything and live out of a van more than trying to move. Frankly, it’s overwhelming.

BRAYDON IVERSON

Hot — No more registering for classes I no longer have to sacrifice three goats, chant and dance around a fire for DuckWeb to let me enroll in a class I already have the prerequisites for.

Not — Chick-Fil-A

Of course they build it here the year after I leave.

SHELTON BOWMAN

Hot — No more writing for free

This goes out to my high school teachers, college professors and, of course, the Daily Emerald. Post graduation I will no longer be writing for free — anyone who wants an essay, literature review or opinion column out of me must pay up from now on.

Not — Paying $98 for my graduation kit

However, the cap and gown from the Duck Store are amazing quality and a great deal (I’m sorry, please keep sponsoring us)!

YOUR NEW

GRADUATION SOUNDTRACK

As you reflect on the highlights of your college journey, here are some graduation-inspired tracks to end off your chapter as a Duck.

BY EVAN HUNTINGTON

It’s been a long time coming, but the moment has finally come. It’s time for the seniors to leave the nest and kickstart the next phase of your lives. It may be hard to truly grasp the rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling as these precious years reach an end, but that’s what music is for. As you prepare for your walk across the stage and the flip of your tassels, here are some graduation-inspired songs to complement one of the most important moments of your life.

“GRADUATION (FRIENDS FOREVER)” BY VITAMIN C

It couldn’t possibly be a proper graduation playlist without this classic graduation anthem that has soundtracked this milestone for over two decades. The track captures a bittersweet emotion — saying goodbye to this era of your life but knowing the friends and memories you made along the way will last a lifetime. It’s a celebration of enduring friendship that will remain far beyond the monumental grad cap tossing. Its irresistible melody and relatable lyrics make this song a true earworm as you get ready to walk across the big stage.

“DON’T STOP ME NOW” BY QUEEN

To capture the post-graduation triumph of achieving a monumental life accomplishment, “Don’t Stop Me Now” will make you feel like you’re standing on top of the world and, aptly, nothing can stop you. It took a lot to reach the finish line, and this timeless track sounds like the well-deserved victory lap before you go on to your next chapter, bound for anything. It’s as feel-good as you can get, and it’s nearly impossible to not sing along word-for-word.

“GOOD RIDDANCE (TIME OF YOUR LIFE)” BY GREEN DAY

Another bittersweet tune about nostalgia and reflecting on old memories, this essential Green Day cut has a melancholic tone that sounds like a photo montage of your best college moments with your best friends. The song naturally conjures up a mental highlight reel of good times with its poetic lyrics and breezy acoustic guitar chords. Put this track on when you’re feeling sentimental.

“SCHOOL’S OUT” BY ALICE COOPER

You’ve probably heard this song on many last days of school over the years — I know I have — but as many graduates finish their schooling career for good, the lyrics couldn’t be more fitting, especially as Alice Cooper belts, “School’s out for summer / School’s out forever.” Its hard rock aggression and anarchic lyrics will give you a reckless and carefree sense of excitement knowing you’re finally done, and it’s one heck of an air guitar solo.

“UPSIDE DOWN” BY JACK JOHNSON

Jack Johnson’s definitive track embodies the perfect feel-good, uplifting energy to complement the start of your next adventure post-graduation. Its cheerful melody and bubbly groove help to fulfill the message of appreciating the world around you and leading a life by joy and curiosity. Graduation marks the start of a new journey in life, and “Upside Down” provides the optimistic feeling of getting out there and seeing what life has in store.

“UNWRITTEN” BY NATASHA BEDINGFIELD

This instantly-recognizable 2000s pop banger is another empowering and optimistic track that encourages listeners to embrace life’s possibilities and manifest their own destiny. The song features one of the most infectious singalong choruses out there, and its motivational message wants to inspire people to break free from limitations and live their lives to the fullest. “Unwritten” is about self-discovery and personal growth, and finishing the long college journey allows space for this introspection as you look ahead for what’s to come.

“DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME)” BY SIMPLE MINDS

While “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” remains an iconic 80s hit that became synonymous with the equally-classic film “The Breakfast Club,” its themes of personal connection and the desire of longevity hit just as hard for graduates as college comes to a close. Simple Minds hone in on the universal longing to be remembered, and it couldn’t be more relevant as you make your final goodbyes to your friends as you go your separate ways. Put this on for another nostalgic and sentimental track that will help you appreciate the people you want to hold on to.

“GRADUATION” BY BENNY BLANCO & JUICE WRLD

To end off the graduation-themed mix with a bang, it’s only right to reprise “Graduation (Friends Forever)” with Benny Blanco and Juice WRLD’s more contemporary rendition. This 2019 remix adds a zesty trap flavor with Blanco’s hitting production while Juice WRLD stays true to the original theme of reflecting on memories, both the good and the bad. Humorous one liners and fresh bars give the track a fresh take on what it’s like to leave the school years behind, and its animated touch makes it a fun bop for that newly-graduated mood.

It can be hard to say goodbye in these moments, making our farewells to the people, places and memories we’ve grown to love and cherish. But remember, as our lives change, come whatever, we will still be Ducks forever.

(Julia Stalnaker/Emerald)

OREGON BASEBALL HONORS NINE GRADUATES FOR SENIOR DAY

The team held a joint celebration of Senior Day and Mother’s Day in the regular season home finale.

BY: MOJO HILL • TWITTER: MOJOHILL22

Just minutes before Sunday’s festivities, Tanner Smith was in a squat by the dugout, signing for kids. An onlooker told him earnestly, “Enjoy the moment.”

Smith hustled back to join the team, not letting the mid-80s heat or disappointing results in the first two games of the series dampen his drive. It was a significant day in Smith’s life, after all. He’s been with the program since 2019 and has practically rewritten the Oregon record book in his time here. He represents the end of the George Horton era. The beginning of the Mark Wasikowski era. The rejuvenation of Oregon baseball.

A Mother’s Day ceremony evolved into a Senior Day ceremony, honoring all the hard work that these players and families have put in. It allowed everyone to take a step back and appreciate the moment before taking on Washington in the finale of what was a tough series results-wise.

“The seniors, they’re great kids,” Wasikowski said. “I love these guys. They’ve put in a lot, invested a lot. Just thrilled to be able to be a part of their lives for as long as I have.”

A swarm of families made their way through the dugout area onto the field before the game, led in a controlled chaotic manner by Director of Baseball Operations Sean Harling. He instructed moms to enter first — for Mother’s Day, of course — followed by the seniors’ families. There was a quick moment of confusion as for what someone in both categories should do.

The players and moms lined up in an orderly fashion on the first base side of the field. The players without families in attendance migrated closer to home plate, while the others joined their

respective moms all the way to the “Ducks” logo in shallow right field.

Pictures, flowers and hugs commenced. Head coach Wasikowski went down the line, greeting each family one by one with greetings of “Happy Mother’s Day” and the like. Among those joined by their moms were Smith, Drew Cowley, Andrew Mosiello, Colby Shade, Leo Uelmen, Dominic Hellman, RJ Gordon and Tyler Ganus. In fact, Ganus’s dad rose up the dugout steps and onto the field to take pictures of Tyler and his mother.

“It’s a special day,” Ganus said before the game. Despite coming off a 10-run loss Saturday night, Ganus brought his signature optimistic attitude to the field, remarking, “Today’s the day we get a win.”

Ganus is only a junior, but he owns a GPA above 4.0 and is about to graduate with a degree in Popular Music Studies. This is the guy who used his own song as his walk-up music last year, after all.

Another junior graduating this year is Owen Diodati, a transfer from Alabama majoring in economics. As is Andrew Mosiello, a business major who was unfortunately sidelined this year due to injury.

The aforementioned three juniors were among those honored in the Senior Day ceremony, which immediately followed the Mother’s Day recognition. It began with the three graduating student managers — Dillon Fazekas, Steven Necuze and Sam Strader.

Then the nine soon-to-be-graduates were honored, one by one. The first six were each given a framed plaque with their jersey, then took a picture with their family, along with coaches Wasikowski, Jack Marder, Marcus Hinkle and

Brett Thomas. The other three graduates — Cowley, Gavin Grant and Smith — were awarded their plaques last year, but still took pictures for posterity’s sake.

The remaining seniors honored were reliever Matt Dallas, as well as graduate transfers Towns King and Josh Mollerus. At the end, the entire team got together for a group picture, taking it all in under the uncharacteristically blazing Eugene sun.

Several moms threw the ceremonial first pitches as well, putting the capper on a double feature of a celebration. Throughout the game, videos of Oregon underclassmen were displayed on the scoreboard, describing what the seniors meant to them and how they’ve taken the younger players under their wing.

“For the freshmen, we all want to compete for the seniors,” freshman pitcher Turner Spoljaric said. “We want to keep those guys playing.”

The team took a tough loss in the game, falling 11-5 to the Huskies. But the day — regardless of what ends up happening in the postseason — will always be remembered as the last regular season game at PK Park for this handful of Ducks. It’s important for them to appreciate the careers they had and not let it be spoiled by a sour ending.

“Coming out on the short end of it today, I’m sure they realized that it’s probably not gonna be a deal where they have another game at PK, which is tough, I’m sure,” Wasikowski said.

Oregon finished the season with a 23-13 home record and made it to an NCAA regional for the third consecutive year under Wasikowski’s leadership.

Ducks outfielder Tanner Smith (31) ropes a single to right field. The University of Oregon Ducks defeat Xavier University 3-2 at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on February 17th, 2023. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)

The Oregon dugout celebrates after a home run by infielder Sabin Ceballos (21). The University of Oregon Ducks defeat Xavier University 9-2 at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on February 18th, 2023. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)